The gathering was abundant with attendees, most of them of esteemed status and significant standing, so refusing their offers to toast was a formidable task.As Harvey's drinking escalated, Vicky could not help but feel concerned. "Take it easy. Don't overdo it," she advised."No worries, I can handle my liquor," Harvey assured.Vicky knew Harvey had a robust tolerance for alcohol, but drinking so much could still lead to intoxication.Sure enough, after a while, Harvey's steps grew unsteady, and his pupils lost their earlier clarity, indicating that he was drunk.Fortunately, the banquet was winding down at this point.Vicky watched as Harvey, hardly able to stand, was assisted by the waitstaff and guided upstairs to rest.After ensuring Harvey, who was already unconscious from the alcohol, was comfortably settled, Vicky checked the time and prepared to leave.The hallway was illuminated with warm, golden lights.Vicky walked on the soft carpet, her shadow elongated by the li
Since Tyler did not respond, Vicky had no intention of being presumptuous."Rest up. I'll be leaving now," Vicky said, moving her hand away from where it was supporting him.However, her wrist was firmly held by Tyler, and for a moment, she could not pull away. At this point, Vicky realized that the man was relying on her for support, his upper body leaning heavily against her."Mister Hart, please let go—"Her words were cut off by Tyler's low, hoarse voice. "Help me back to my room."Vicky paused for a few seconds. "Mister Hart, shall I call the hotel staff to assist you?"His tone held a hint of impatience. "Aren't you the staff?""..."Vicky glanced at him and noticed his glossed-over eyes, realizing that he might not recognize her at all."Do you know who I am?" Vicky asked him.Tyler's gaze slowly turned to her, and he uttered, "The hotel staff."Vicky was rendered speechless."I am not a hotel staff." Vicky tried to push him away. "If you need assistance, I can help
The room was dark.Vicky struggled to guide Tyler into the room.Just as she reached out to find the switch on the wall, a large hand suddenly grabbed her wrist. Before she could react, she was forcefully pressed against the door.Thud!A muffled sound echoed as the door panel took the impact. Immediately after, Vicky's lips were sealed in a deep kiss. Caught off-guard, she found herself suppressed as she tried to resist.The room remained dark with only the flickering neon lights from outside casting a faint glow, which was hardly enough for them to make out each other's expressions."Tyler, let go of me... Mmph!"The hand gripping her wrist felt scorching, and she struggled to escape.As the cold night passed, a passionate night unfolded inside the room....The next day, Vicky slowly opened her eyes. Her head felt heavy, and she was exhausted.It was this discomfort that kept her sleep from being sound. It caused her to have a terrifying nightmare.Vicky moved to sit up
...The passion died down after a long while.The man rose without a hint of attachment and headed into the bathroom while Vicky was discarded like a tattered doll.The sound of running water echoed from the bathroom.After what felt like an eternity, Tyler emerged from the bathroom. He casually draped a bathrobe over himself, water droplets from his hair falling onto his fair, muscular skin.Back in the bedroom, he looked at the still woman on the bed and coolly said, "Don't you want to take a shower first?"Upon hearing his voice, Vicky finally stirred. Her gaze moved slightly and slowly shifted toward him.The years had been kind to Tyler, and he looked almost exactly the same. However, his gaze was deeper, his aura more impenetrable."I could assume you were drunk last night," she gazed at him and firmly added, "but what about just now?"Tyler lifted an eyebrow. "Were you not trying to seduce me by standing in front of me naked?""Even if I was, that doesn't mean you have
Tyler calmly interrupted Vicky's words. "Are you trying to say I dragged you into the room?"Vicky opened her mouth, but before she could speak, Tyler continued, "There are surveillance cameras in the corridor, Ms. Shaw. It's better not to make baseless claims."Vicky's expression turned bitter. "Tyler, don't tell me you conveniently forgot everything that happened last night."His tone was indifferent. "I was drunk."Being drunk seemed a universal excuse for most misconduct. It seemed that as long as someone was inebriated, any action could be excused.Vicky nodded. "Alright, so you were drunk and don't remember anything. I'll explain the whole situation to you, then, Mister Hart. Yesterday night, I ran into you in the elevator..."Tyler questioned, "In the elevator? How convenient."Vicky knew what he was suspecting and took a deep breath. "Harvey got drunk, and I was taking him back to his room. When we were getting off the elevator, I ran into you.""Getting off the elevato
'Tyler's right. What am I trying to convey? Whether it was consensual or not, the deed has been done. If I truly found it unacceptable, I can just report it to the authorities. Why go through the trouble of explaining myself to someone who could be considered a perpetrator?' she thought. 'Do I still harbor some unrealistic fantasy about him?'At that moment, the abrupt ringing of a phone shattered the silence.Tyler picked up the phone and glanced at it. His gaze deepened before he answered. "Avery."Hearing Avery's name, Vicky's blood ran cold."Tyler, what were you doing last night? Why didn't you answer my calls?" came Avery's sweet, teasing voice from the other end of the phone."I was at a banquet last night and had a bit too much to drink." Tyler's voice remained slow and melodious."You scared me. I thought something happened to you.""I'm fine. There's no need to worry.""Tyler, I've booked a flight for this afternoon. I'll be in Stoneford City tomorrow to be with you."
Vicky stilled. "Is there something else you need, Mister Hart?"He handed her a check. "This is for last night."She chuckled at the check. "Do you take me for a common wrench?""Are you not one?"She clenched her fists. Instead of sorrow, she felt overwhelmed by helplessness and confusion."It's fine," she refused expressionlessly. "Don't worry. I won't bother you or appear before you again."She then strode off, but Tyler reached out to grab her wrist, to which she responded by jolting away from his touch."Hands off me!"As she looked at the woman's icy expression, a subtle lift graced the corners of Tyler's eyebrows. "I've touched every part of you. Isn't it a bit too late to be saying that now?"No matter how she tried to frame it, Vicky could not have anticipated that the man who showed unwavering loyalty to his fiancee in public just a few days ago would not only have unashamedly slept with another woman but also dare to utter such shameless words."Tyler, let go of me
The temperature in the room seemed to have dropped in an instant. Vicky instinctively looked up at Tyler and found him staring at her with a devilish sneer."Very well," said Tyler. "I clearly didn't satisfy you." Despite the smile he wore, his gaze was cold. "If that's the case, I'll keep trying until you are satisfied."With that said, he dragged her back into the bedroom.Vicky paled. "Tyler Hart, have you gone insane? Let me go!""Stop playing hard-to-get." He sneered. "Don't worry. I will satisfy you this time."...The urgent chime of the telephone shattered the silence of the room, which jolted Vicky awake.Shortly after, the low, hoarse voice of a man resonated beside her. "Avery.""Tyler, I've already landed. Where are you now?" Avery asked sweetly.Instantly, Vicky sobered."I'm still at the hotel," Tyler said. "Wait for me at the airport. I'll be there shortly.""Alright." Avery's voice carried a note of excitement. "Tyler, I'll be waiting for you at the cafe near
[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