Vicky looked up and saw Tyler walking toward her after finishing his shower. His robe hung on his body, but his lean, toned chest and muscular body were out in the open. The eight-pack abs looked sturdy, so much to the point she could have a nosebleed.Despite having seen it numerous times, her face always turned red and hot seeing that hot body. She quickly looked away. "Nothing…"Tyler walked to her and placed both hands on the bed beside her body, trapping her between the bed and his chest."Are you sure it's nothing?" he asked.She still did not dare to look at him. "Yes."Surely, she was not going to tell him that she was wondering about the difference between him and the man with the mask. There were some differences, but she got a feeling…that there was a similarity of sorts.'Are men all built the same? Like, you can't tell the difference between two men once the light is off?' she thought.Tyler did not think too much and said, "I'm going to work for a while in the stud
[Yes, he came back this morning.] That was Vicky's reply.The man with the mask texted back instantly, [If that's the case, I'm going to let you have a day off since you behaved nicely last night. Come and spend time with me again tomorrow.]Vicky frowned. [I have no chance to go out if he's at home at night.]The man with the mask replied, [That's not my problem.]Vicky tried to reason. [He's going to suspect if I go out every night.]The chat stopped there because she did not get a reply from the man. She tried to send a few more messages, yet she received no response.It felt awful not knowing what was going to happen and where she would end up the following day.Just then, steady footsteps sound were heard from the stairs. Vicky quickly deleted the messages in her phone and put on a new expression.The tall, strong man walked down the stairs gracefully.She looked at his handsome face and asked softly, "Where did you go?"Tyler stopped walking and replied, "I just remembe
Tyler walked over to Vicky. "What happened?""Nothing," Vicky explained, "I accidentally knocked over a waiter and my gown is soaked with the drinks. I'll be fine after I change."Tyler looked at her. "Do you need me to go with you?"She looked at the people from the other companies gazing at him and smiled. "It's alright; I'm fine on my own. I can get some rest, too."Tyler knew she was not a fan of the party, so he nodded. "Okay."…It had been over half an hour since she changed into a new gown, yet she did not return to the party and decided to rest for a while. A waiter passed a key card of the room to her. "Missus Hart, this is your room."Vicky politely thanked him. "Thank you.""You're welcome, Missus Hart."Vicky took the card and entered the designated room.The room was pitch black. Just as she was about to turn on the light, a hand suddenly appeared and pulled her into the room. Startled, she subconsciously struggled to shout for help, but the hand covered her mou
Tyler did not suspect anything. Instead, he serenely replied, "Sure."A few minutes later, he came back with a new set of clothes. Before Vicky requested it, he was caring enough to suggest, "Why don't you change first? I'll wait for you in the living room."The clothes Tyler brought over were a set of conservative types of long pants and a long-sleeve top. She did not care if they were hideous and just put them on.After that, she left the room and saw Tyler sitting on the sofa. His eyes were closed as if he was resting, and he did not realize she was there. She remained where she was as she gazed at him for a while before walking toward him quietly.Unexpectedly, she stretched her hands out, wanting to unbutton his shirt. Suddenly, he grabbed her hands as he opened his eyes. They were deep and dark like a bottomless lake.He looked at her. "It's getting late. Why don't we do it when we are back at home?"Vicky felt like her hands were burnt and quickly pulled them back. "I…don'
Tyler saw Vicky's pale, scared face. "Did I scare you?""A little…" As a matter of fact, she was not scared because Tyler scared her.It was because… For a moment there, she thought the masked man was in the house.Tyler saw her eyelashes fluttering. "Why are you up so early today?"Vicky forced a smile on her face. "I want to cook breakfast for you."They were standing very close to each other, so close that Tyler could see how red Vicky's eyes were. "Didn't you sleep well last night?""I had difficulty falling asleep. Maybe it was because of the nap I took during the party," Vicky said.He gazed at her. "Vicky, I'm going to be busy lately.""Be busy," she replied softly, lightly, "don't worry about me.""Okay. If you're afraid, you can come and find me anytime. I can continue working after you're asleep," Tyler said.Her restless heart was soothed by his gentle words. She felt less anxious, too."Alright," she responded.After breakfast, Tyler went to work. On the other h
Sebastian had been investigating Tyler lately, but he found nothing. He was sure that Tyler has something to do with Vicky's kidnapping in Lovian, but he just could not find any evidence to back it up.Vicky remained silent while she studied Sebastian.Sebastian had a gentle and elegant temperament. He was the typical type of rich kid with a good temper from a notable family, a far contrast from the masked man who threatened her last night."I have something that I'd like to ask you," Vicky said.Sebastian treated it seriously when he realized how serious Vicky was. "Vicky, I'll answer with everything I know."Vicky asked, "Are you familiar…with this room?"He looked around, confused by Vicky's question. He shook his head.Cloud-Nine Hotel was a six-star hotel. Although he also had a presidential suite in the hotel, every presidential suite had a different interior design. His room was Room 1330. Room 1330 had a European design, but Room 1331 was designed with a Moroccan theme.
'The masked man isn't man Sebastian…' Vicky was lost in her thoughts.Ding, dong! The doorbell kept on ringing.When Vicky finally regained her senses, she walked to the door and opened it. The door was pushed open when it was slightly opened with a gap.A tall man in a formal suit strode in. His expression was cold, and so was his temperament. He looked like he was about to kill someone.Vicky's heart throbbed when she saw him. "Tyler…" She was stunned. "Why are you here?"Tyler glanced around and saw Sebastian sitting on the sofa. The murderous intent in his eyes became more noticeable when he realized a few buttons on Sebastian's shirt were unbuttoned.Vicky held her breath and tried to explain, "Tyler, listen to me. It's not what you think…"He did not listen and walked to Sebastian to grab Sebastian's collar.There was not enough time for Vicky to stop him. His punch already connected to Sebastian's face.Crack! It was as though Sebastian's nose broke, and he nearly passe
"Tyler, Sebastian is the successor of Mills Group," Vicky could only try a different way to reason with Tyler. "We're not getting away if you kill him."Tyler's pupils darkened. "By that, you mean you won't stop until you save him?""You misunderstood me. I just don't want to see someone get killed," reasoned Vicky."Then why did you two meet here today?" Tyler sneered. "To catch up?"He glanced at Sebastian's chest and smiled weirdly. "Also, taking off clothes to talk?""No…" Vicky said."Then what?" he asked.Vicky did not know how to explain herself, and she was at a loss for words. It was not like she could tell Tyler she wanted to find out if Sebastian was the masked man that had been threatening her.Seeing her being silent, Tyler's eyes became even colder. He did not continue to punch Sebastian. Instead, he threw Sebastian to the floor like he was throwing rubbish. After giving Vicky a cold look, he strode out of the room.Sebastian had passed out after being punched by
[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