As they left the venue, Vicky overheard a chorus of regretful whispers from the others around her.It felt like a dream.Indeed, regardless of the situation, there was no going back once a decision was made.Life was not a fairytale, and nobody was obliged to wait around indefinitely.After leaving the cinema, Tyler drove her to the beach again, holding her hand just like he used to when they were in love.Vicky did not fight him, and they strolled along the shore.Neither of them uttered a word.This tranquil scene persisted until the sunset slowly descended. As sunlight brushed over the horizon, the sea turned into shades of golden red, a beautiful vibrant display that was transient and fleeting. The sun dipped below the horizon, and the sky darkened. The sea breeze picked up, causing Vicky's long hair to flutter in the wind."Vicky, can we not separate? Will you stay with me?" His voice was low, tinged with a touch of desperation.The sun had vanished, and the expressions o
Vicky froze as she understood the underlying meaning of his words. She moved her lips to speak but fell silent in the end....At night, Vicky made a video call to Aurora while Tyler was in the shower.Aurora sighed in relief at the sight of Vicky's face. "I was really scared that Tyler was texting me with your phone." She studied Vicky's expression and relaxed visibly when she saw nothing concerning, apart from a faint hint of sorrow."This won't happen again," commented Vicky.Aurora hesitated for a moment, about to inquire further, only to abruptly notice the backdrop of the video was none other than the villa where Vicky had been living. She knew that Vicky had recently moved out of the villa and into her own apartment. Aurora's keen perception caught something amiss. "Vicky, are you okay?""I'm fine," Vicky looked at Aurora on the screen. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm okay, so you don't worry."Aurora was about to say something but held back in the end. "Well... G
After the shower, Vicky changed into a fresh change of clothes and went downstairs for dinner.It was eight at night after they finished dinner, and Tyler finally spoke of what Vicky had been waiting for. "I will accept hypnosis."His compromise did not surprise Vicky as it was a result she achieved by threatening to take her life."When can we start?" she asked."It's up to you."She glanced at the time. "Today, then."He frowned. "Why the hurry?"She chuckled. "I don't want you changing your mind again if we wait any longer."He fell into silence for a long while before saying, "Alright."She stood up. "I will make a few phone calls to arrange it."Tyler did not stop her.Caught between divorce and hypnosis, he chose the second option despite knowing there was not much difference between the two. Still, being with her for an extra day, even an extra second, was all that mattered.After about 10 minutes, Vicky approached. "The hypnotist will be here in half an hour.""Her
Vicky closed her eyes and listened to the clock ticking in the quiet living room.It was so quiet around her that she could hear her heartbeat. Her mind drifted as she sat still, dazed and numb.Sometime later, someone stood before her, and she snapped out of her daydream.She slowly looked up and met a familiar face.Tyler stared at her intently. "If you don't truly want me to forget everything, why would you insist on leaving me?"She sobered. "Y—You didn't forget?""No.""But you went in for hypnosis, right? Why are you out so soon?" Vicky questioned.Tyler gazed at her intently. "Three hours have passed; is that considered soon?"Vicky glanced at the time and indeed realized that three hours had passed. At this moment, three doctors emerged from the hypnosis room, and they looked exhausted."What happened?" Vicky asked.Seemingly worn out, Samantha's voice sounded weak. "It didn't work.""Why?"Samantha looked at Tyler and let out a sigh. "Mister Hart has a strong will
Tyler's expression remained as cold and distant as ever. A faint trace of weariness filled his face, and he did not immediately come to her as he did after the previous session. He did not even spare her a second glance as he passed by her side.Vicky could not help but stand up. "Tyler."Tyler's footsteps faltered, and he slowly turned to look at her. His gaze seemed aloof, and the gaze he fixed upon her held no trace of gentleness or affection."Who are you?"Vicky was taken aback. "You...don't remember me?"Tyler's brow furrowed, and he scanned her. "Do we know each other?"Upon hearing his words, Vicky's voice failed her.As she stared at him blankly in silence, Tyler seemed to grow impatient."Do we know each other?" He repeated, his tone icy and devoid of emotion.At that moment, Vicky suddenly recalled Tyler's words.'Vicky, do you want me to forget you that badly? We'd be strangers if I forgot all about you.'Indeed, they had become strangers.The gaze he fixed on h
"You're severing ties to protect your individual futures, right?" Saul smiled.Vicky's expression was aloof, and she remained silent."Old Mister Hart and I go back a long way," Saul remarked casually as he sipped his water. "I've been retired for many years now. I wouldn't have come if that wasn't the case."Vicky was not particularly surprised by that.Saul continued, "This time, it took a significant price to persuade me... We made an agreement back then. After I conducted one hypnosis session for him, we'll never have any contact again.""For him?" Vicky finally regained her focus. "Old Mister Hart also underwent hypnosis?"Saul did not answer the question directly. Lost in reminiscence, a hint of melancholy emerged in his eyes. "In his younger days, he had a childhood friend he grew up with... Everyone thought they'd get married, and even he himself wished for that. That's when the temptation of inheriting the Hart family hit him. You can't have the best of both worlds. At t
"And what did you say to him?""I told him that this was a marriage of convenience. You never met, and the wedding photos were all edited. Now that the contract has ended, it's time to get a divorce.""He believed that?""Of course."Vicky fell silent for a few moments and said, "When is he leaving?""Tomorrow."'Tomorrow?' she thought. 'That soon?'She knew Old Mister Hart must have had everything arranged, including the 'contract for the marriage of convenience'. On top of that, he must have erased all traces of their relationship.She felt empty. It felt like she had lost something important.Old Mister Hart stared at her intently. "Ms. Shaw, I trust you'll handle your friends, so I will stay out of that. I do not want Tyler to come to me one day, asking who you were to him."Her heart dropped at the realization it was a warning. "I know. I chose this, so I won't regret it."Old Mister Hart smiled. "I'll get going, then."Vicky did not respond, and Old Mister Hart simply
Vicky did not know what happened between Jennifer and Anthony, but she assumed Lily must have had something to do with it.Since Anthony came with a gift, Vicky could not chase him out. Thus, she invited him in.The restaurant was reserved, and everyone was chatting and laughing in the hall.As soon as he entered, Anthony walked over to Jennifer. "Jennifer."Jennifer was about to play with the cat Noah was holding when she heard Anthony's voice."Do you like cats? How about I buy you one?"Jennifer turned around, and her expression hardened. "It's fine. I like Noah's cat."Anthony shot Noah a sidelong glance upon hearing her words.Noah felt a chill run down his spine. It was a familiar yet dangerous sensation that enveloped him.He had not forgotten how Anthony tarnished his reputation when he posed as Jennifer's boyfriend.'Good god. Just as Tyler left, here came Anthony. Fate is truly cruel to me!' he whined inwardly.Noah did not want to fall victim to Anthony's schemes,
[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