'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
Vicky turned around and saw the hotel outside the window.After making the payment, she stepped out of the car.Before going into the room, she glanced at her phone once again, but there was nothing on the screen.She put her phone away and went into the room to find herself in the familiar darkness.The man was on the couch, watching television. Instead of financial news, he was watching entertainment news, and the broadcaster’s professional voice flowed out of the television."Sources suggest that the man who dined with Sheila Young was her rumored boyfriend..."The room was quiet, which made the sound of the television even more distinct, and Vicky felt as though she was stung when she heard the news."You are five minutes late," the masked man said.Vicky stood still for a few moments and walked over to the man, who gazed up at her darkly. "You should feel smug for toying with three men at the same time. Why do you look so gloomy?"Vicky frowned. "Three men?""Tyler Hart,
An odd feeling emerged when Vicky looked into the masked man's eyes.She could understand why Tyler would be angry at her, but she could not comprehend why the masked man acted as though he was confronting his cheating wife.Instead of lying, she explained, "I thought that he was you and wanted to confirm it.""By taking his clothes off?" the man questioned.She frowned as realization dawned on her that while the man knew that she met with Sebastian, he seemed unaware of the precise situation, which meant that there were no surveillance cameras in the room."You have a scratch mark on your chest," Vicky drawled.The man came to realize what she meant and shot her a look. "Are you disappointed to find out that I'm not Sebastian, then?""No."She would be terrified if Sebastian turned out to be the masked man, because not only was Sebastian someone she knew, but it also terrified her to think that the gentle, understanding side of Sebastian was nothing but a persona he put on in
Vicky did not know if what happened with Sebastian jogged certain unpleasant memories for Tyler, but his attitude toward her took a sudden turn as he grew distant.It was not the first time they drifted apart, but it was the first time Vicky felt so devastated about it....Half a month later, in a certain restaurant.A waiter brought the freshly made dishes to the table, and both Jennifer and Cece started drooling at the enticing fragrance of the feast before them.Cece stared at the dishes the waiter was serving and said, "These smell so good. I want to eat everything!"Jennifer's stomach rumbled at the sight. "Me, too!"Vicky had received a job from a certain movie production cast, and they were satisfied with the designs of the final products. However, since the production team made a bulk purchase, someone needed to travel with the production team to make amendments to the costumes whenever required.Though the filming took place in Zendonia, Vicky was reluctant to leave S
If all the masked man wanted from her was for her to cure his insomnia, Vicky felt like she might be able to negotiate with him.She opened the door and stepped into the dark room, wondering if the masked man had returned to the room just yet.Just then, her stomach turned and she darted into the bathroom, hurling everything she ate into the toilet bowl.She had not eaten much that night, so the vomiting did not last long. She washed her mouth and her face at the sink, her face as pale as a ghost under the faint light."What happened?" She heard footsteps approaching and saw the masked man by the door, wearing a black bathing robe with his mask and voice changer already in place.She frowned. "I guess my stomach is acting up."He stared at her intently. "Is it possible that you're...pregnant?"She froze. "I…don't know."The man darted toward her and exclaimed joyfully, "Are you really pregnant?"Vicky shot the man a confused look. "Nothing ever happened between us. Even if I a
Vicky's blood ran cold.She had only been intimate with Tyler once in recent times, and she recalled that he used protection.More precisely, Tyler used protection every time they were in bed.Though they never talked about having children, she understood that he did not want any from his behavior. Since she had no plan of having children in the present, she did not question him about it.Vicky jolted at the memory of the masked man.The man would always burn some sort of incense that put her to sleep right away.Vicky could tell that nothing happened between them, but there was a possibility that the masked man defiled her in her sleep.Jennifer noticed the dark look on Vicky’s face and asked, "Vicky, what's wrong?"Confused, Cece asked, "Vicky, you used to love children. Isn't this good news?"Vicky faked a smile. "Maybe I'm not pregnant. Maybe...I'm just having an upset stomach." She paused thoughtfully before whispering, "Don't tell anyone about this. I'll get checked in t
"I'm a little busy today and didn't notice your calls..."Tyler narrowed his eyes as he observed her sharply. He gazed down at her purse and looked away shortly after. "Have you eaten?""Not yet.""I'll ask Nanny Paterson to make you something." He stood up and walked toward her. "You should take a shower."Vicky relaxed slightly when she noticed that Tyler was not going to confront her. Fearing that he might notice the odd look on her face, she nodded. "Okay."As she walked past him, he reached out to grab her by the wrist abruptly, and before she could react, he snatched the purse out of her hands.She was stunned for a moment, but she immediately snapped out of it and went to take her purse back because her pregnancy test was still in her purse.However, Tyler would not allow her to take it back and simply dodged her hands before opening the purse.The look in his eyes darkened when he saw the paper inside, and he took out the medical report.Instantly, all colors were drai
[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