"Lincoln Hart, I'm warning you, stay away from Vicky. If you dare to come near her again..." Tyler sneered ruthlessly. "I don't mind destroying your manhood once and for all.""That's enough, Tyler." Vicky could not stand listening any longer. "You were the one who injured him. Not only are you not remorseful toward your actions, but you keep threatening the person who's been keeping the truth hidden despite being hurt by you multiple times... Is your heart made of stone?"Tyler froze, not expecting Vicky to take Lincoln's side. "What did you just say?"The look in Vicky’s eyes hardened as she was utterly disappointed by Tyler."Tyler, have you ever considered why I kept this matter a secret, or why Lincoln does it? Do you think I'm afraid that Missus Hart will come after me and dislike me even more?"Despite holding back for Lincoln's sake, Valencia's deep-seated animosity toward Vicky was evident to her.Vicky was no longer the naive and ignorant girl from four years ago who ho
In the depths of Vicky's eyes, a gleam of icy coldness emerged. "It's almost like you injured me and expect me to thank you simply because you helped bandage my wounds! Tyler, you're too full of yourself!"Tyler gazed at her, noticing her eyes and demeanor growing colder by the moment. It felt as if a heavy weight had lodged itself in his chest.He initially planned to appease Vicky and convince her to leave on her own accord, but it seemed he could not wait any longer, and Tyler decided that he had to take her away immediately.As for whether she would be willing to stay by his side, he was confident that he could find a way.With this thought in mind, Tyler grabbed her wrist, preparing to forcibly take her away. "Come with me. Let's leave this place."Vicky was taken aback, quickly realizing that he could no longer keep up the act and that his true nature was exposed once again."Tyler, let go of me!" Vicky struggled to free herself from his grip. "You said before that you woul
The pale look on Vicky's face and the way she trembled pushed Tyler closer to snapping. His expression darkened as he pursed his lips. "So, you're willing to leave with me?"Despite his grim expression, his tone was indifferent, devoid of any emotional fluctuations.Vicky's attention was completely drawn to the gun in Tyler's hand, and she did not notice that something was wrong. Worried that he might actually shoot, she nodded. "Yes, I'm willing to go with you."Tyler smiled ominously, and his eyes were filled with chilling coldness. "I've cajoled and pursued you for so long, and you've been unwilling to go back with me, yet you're now agreeing to leave with me simply for Lincoln's sake."Vicky sensed the sarcasm in his words and anxiously looked at Tyler. "Tyler, can you put the gun down, please? Let's talk this out."Tyler chuckled lightly, mocking her. "If I put the gun down, would you still be willing to go with me?""Tyler, I..." Vicky was about to say something when Lincol
Tyler started to lose track of what he truly wanted.Vicky observed Tyler anxiously, worrying that he might be provoked to shoot."Vicky." Lincoln's voice sounded behind her. "I don't need you to protect me." He pulled Vicky to stand behind him and continued, "I'm the one who's supposed to protect you."Vicky paled. "Lincoln, don't be reckless..."He interrupted her. "I'm not being reckless. This is a decision that I made after a long thought process." He lowered his head to gaze at her gently. "This time, I'm not letting anyone take you away, even if it costs me my life.""..." Vicky found herself at a loss for words.Tyler despised Lincoln to the core. If Lincoln were to confront him head-on, it would only result in his untimely demise without any positive outcome."Lincoln..." Vicky wanted to calm him down, but before she could utter a word, a burst of chilling, low laughter abruptly broke the silence."Have I interrupted an intimate conversation between you two?"Vicky tur
Smoke oozed from the gun, and Tyler muttered in a chilling voice, "You asked me what I want, and now I'm telling you that..." He stared intently at Lincoln, who lay sprawled on the ground in a pool of his blood, and drawled, "I want him dead."Vicky had childhood friends, ex-boyfriends, and even an ex-fiance in the past, but she never cared so much about someone the way she cared for Lincoln. Even Tyler himself had never been treated with such concern.With the sole intention of killing Lincoln, he raised his arm once again.Vicky's heart sank.Her body instinctively reacted, and she stood in front of Tyler. "If you really want to kill him, then kill me too!"Tyler's eyebrows furrowed. "What?"Vicky's fingers curled tightly together as she repeated each word with determination, "If you want to kill him, then kill me too!"Tyler was momentarily stunned.He knew she would never let him kill Lincoln, but he did not expect her to be willing to die for him. No, saying that she wante
'So, this is how much she cares about Lincoln,' Tyler thought gloomily.Sensing Tyler's gaze on her, Vicky scowled. "Tyler...""I won't give up." He stared at her and said, "Not even if it means the death of me."Before Vicky could say anything else, he backed away and turned to leave....Due to the fact that Lincoln's gunshot wound was only in his shoulder and not life-threatening, his surgery ended swiftly.Vicky initially wanted to visit Lincoln, but the way Tyler looked at her before he left the Harts' mansion overwhelmed her with anxiety. If she were to leave the mansion, she knew she would likely be taken away by the guards stationed outside.Vicky had no choice but to stay at the mansion and wait for news.A week later, Lincoln was discharged from the hospital and returned to the mansion. Out of concern for any further accidents involving Lincoln, Valencia ordered the bodyguards to surround her residence, not allowing anyone or anything to enter.Apart from blocking Vi
Tyler had completely gone off the radar, but both Old Mister Hart and Vicky knew that Tyler was not avoiding the blame; he simply did not think that shooting Lincoln was a big deal.Spotting the solemn look on Vicky’s face, Old Mister Hart smiled. "Don't worry about Tyler. Since Lincoln hasn't been killed, I suppose this matter will be ignored."Vicky, however, was not as optimistic as he was. "Missus Hart loves Lincoln, and considering her personality, I don't think she'll let this pass.""Indeed, Valencia isn't a woman who would let this go, but..." Old Mister Hart narrowed his eyes slyly. "Even if she wants to cause a scene, she won't be able to do so. This isn't Molivia, so she doesn't get to do as she pleases. If she ends up upsetting Tyler, Tyler won't spare her just because she is his mother."...In another room, Valencia's expression changed as she entered and saw Lincoln standing by the window, basking in the sunlight. "Lincoln, why are you out of bed again? Your wound h
"Listen to me first." Lincoln's voice was tranquilizing. "I understand that you don't want me to be wronged, but letting this go is our only choice.""Lincoln, are you saying this because you don't want me to go after Vicky?""That's not it," Lincoln said calmly. "Mom, have you forgotten where we are?""We're at our home, of cour—" she blurted out, only to pause, realizing that they were in Zendonia.Lincoln knew that Valencia realized their situation. He smiled faintly and said, "This is Zendonia. Even if you go to Tyler, what can you do? You know his temper. He'll never apologize. If you provoke him, do you know what the consequences will be?"Valencia's face paled slightly at Lincoln's words.Although Tyler had acknowledged his lineage, due to his rebellious and wilful nature, Valencia's impression of him had deteriorated over time. Her feelings toward Tyler shifted from feeling guilty and indebted initially to sheer resentment.She never regarded Tyler as her biological son,
[Alright.]Aurora sighed in relief. "Vicky, we've been out for quite a while. Shall we head back?"Vicky glanced at Aurora. "Can we finally go back now?""Yes, we can go back... Huh?" Aurora sensed something was amiss. "Vicky, do you...know something?"Vicky smiled. "Every time I go out with friends, Tyler always bombards me with questions about when I'll be back and insists on picking me up. Strangely, he didn't ask me anything today. Also... I remember that it's my birthday today."Aurora was left speechless as she realized Vicky saw right through her act....By the time they got home, it was starting to get dark outside. Inside the mansion, it was quiet and pitch-black. Suddenly, a warm, yellow candlelight gradually illuminated the darkness, revealing a handsome face."Happy birthday, Vicky," Tyler said.Vicky gazed at the flickering candles, feeling a bit dazed.It was then she remembered that during the early days of their relationship, he had prepared a birthday surpri
Tyler showed great disdain when his wish of getting a daughter was let down. What irritated him most was that this son looked remarkably like him.After recovering from childbirth, Vicky accompanied a newly pregnant Aurora on a shopping trip for baby supplies.Upon hearing Vicky's story, Aurora could not help but ask, "Men are usually happy when they have sons, so why does Tyler prefer daughters?"Vicky sighed. "Tyler says that a family is never really balanced and happy unless they have one son and one daughter."Aurora nodded thoughtfully. "Indeed. Now that you have a son, having a daughter would be perfect. Vicky, have you and Tyler considered responding to the national call and having a third child?"Vicky shook her head. "The last time I gave birth, Tyler wasn't around, so he doesn't know what it was like. This time, he was scared out of his wits and had no intention of having more children. A few days ago, he even underwent a vasectomy."Aurora chuckled. "Daughters may be s
However, everything spiraled out of control.Tyler knew his behavior was despicable, but he could not control his emotions.When he loved, every cell within him longed for her. Every time he came to see her, he told himself it would be the last time. However, he found himself appearing at her house more and more frequently.Tyler knew he was in trouble, and it would not be long before he returned to his former self.Vicky was like a drug to him. Even though he knew that contact with her was toxic, he could not bring himself to let go.He knew she was pregnant with his child, and his most primal desires began to surge, making it impossible for him to resist the urge to make her stay.Vicky listened quietly to his confession, and her heart ached.She could not fight off the urge to hold him; her touch was firm and comforting.He only mentioned a few words about the time he regained consciousness, but Vicky knew he had endured a lot of pain. The fact that he was alive was a miracl
Tyler's lips quivered as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he fell silent.What was there to say? It was not like he could apologize. The deed had been done, and his apology would not mean anything. Besides, he had no regrets whatsoever.Vicky stared at him. "You tampered with the surveillance, didn't you?""Yes.""And the servants and nannies. They're all under your control, right?"Tyler lowered his gaze. "Yes."Since all of this was real and not a dream, she must have been unconscious when Tyler returned. No matter how soundly she slept, she should have felt something. Since she had to take care of Lufian, she came home every day for meals, so she guessed that something was added to her food.For the past few days, she pretended to eat at home while secretly disposing of her meals. As it turned out, her suspicions were correct.Vicky repeated the question she asked before. "Why didn't you come to me?"Tyler remained silent once again."Did you come here just t
"Are you planning to leave just like that?"The man's body tensed.Click! The desk lamp was turned on, its warm, amber light illuminating the darkness."Why won't you look at me? Are you brave enough to do it but not to admit it?" echoed Vicky's gentle voice.Tyler snapped out of it and instinctively pulled his hand away from hers, ready to escape, only for Vicky's next words to pin him in place."If you leave now, I'll get rid of the baby in me tomorrow."He swiftly froze in place and turned back to her. "What did you just say?"Even though she prepared herself mentally, seeing the shock on his face made Vicky's eyes widen in shock. In an instant, her eyes welled up with tears. "You..."As Tyler met the shock in her eyes, he came to a sudden realization and turned his face away, looking anywhere but at her.When she learned about her pregnancy and knew she had not been dreaming, Vicky had a hunch about who it was that came and went freely into her home. The only one capable o
Vicky began to feel increasingly uneasy. She was pregnant without even knowing who the father was. That had to be one of the most absurd jokes in the world.Aurora, Noah, and the others were bewildered.They knew Vicky's character well, and she was not the type to casually sleep around. Besides, she still had feelings for Tyler, so she would never sleep with another man.Getting drunk was even more out of the question. After all, she was either working or taking care of her child. She had neither the time nor the inclination to go out drinking.Even Vicky herself was bewildered, and her thoughts were in disarray. "I... I don't know."The others exchanged glances, all noticing that Vicky's first instinct was not to terminate the pregnancy."Vicky, go home and think it over carefully. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call us," Aurora said gently.Vicky nodded absently.Back at home, Vicky reviewed the surveillance footage once more.She had watched it numerous times, but
Just then, a dish that Vicky usually enjoyed was brought to the table by the waiter.The aroma filled the air, but Vicky paled instantly. Before anyone could react, she retched and rushed to the bathroom.Everyone exchanged puzzled glances.Cece blinked. "What's wrong with Vicky?"Jennifer furrowed her brow. "Vicky doesn't look well. Is she ill?"The concerned Aurora chimed in, "Ever since Tyler's disappearance, Vicky hasn't been in the best mood. She even suffered from postpartum depression. Let's take her to the hospital after dinner. We can't afford for her to fall ill again."Everyone assumed that something was physically wrong with Vicky, but Noah, who remained silent, spoke up."I remember when Vicky was pregnant last time... She seemed to be very sensitive to certain smells."All eyes turned to Noah.Jennifer's eyes widened. "What are you trying to say, Noah?! You don't mean to suggest that...Vicky might be pregnant, do you?"Under the curious gazes of everyone, Noah c
As Anthony and Jennifer grew up in Lovian, and their families had deep roots there, they had to stay at Lovian as well. However, whenever they had free time, Jennifer often returned to Stoneford City to meet her friends for gatherings and meals.Vicky's birthday was approaching in a few days, and Jennifer came back early for the occasion.Lufian, on the other hand, became the darling of the group, and everyone loved him. Thus, one of the highlights of visiting Zendonia was to see Lufian.On this day, Vicky had some free time and decided to go to the airport to fetch Jennifer.Harvey held Lufian and walked out of Vicky's mansion.He had also come back early to celebrate Vicky's birthday. Like everyone else, he adored Lufian. His priority the moment he returned was to see Lufian, even though Lufian resembled Tyler most uncannily.Harvey carried Lufian and settled into the back seat, preparing to bond with him during the ride. Vicky sat in the driver's seat.Just as they were about
"Lufian is usually very well-behaved. He doesn't cause a fuss and is easy to handle.""Is his name Lufian?""That's right. Lufian Hart."Gloria's gaze flickered briefly but quickly returned to normal. "Have you given him a nickname?""Not yet," Vicky replied.Gloria did not say anything further.After playing with the child for a while, she carefully placed the necklace she had prepared around Lufian's neck.The baby played for a while and soon fell asleep.Gloria then gently returned Lufian to his stroller.Leaving the nursery, Vicky and Gloria engaged in casual conversation. They had no deep-seated grudges, and over time, their past love and hatred gradually faded away.Vicky smiled and remarked, "You seem to really like children. How about having one yourself? A kid would make a good companion for Lufian.""I'd like to, but I haven't found the right person," Gloria lamented.Gloria had been single for years. It was not because she could not forget Tyler or was waiting fo