In a sophisticated restaurant, a couple sat across from one another.The warm candlelight wavered slightly between them, masking Tyler's handsome features in the shadow."Tyler, how have you been in the past years?" asked Gloria.Tyler nodded. "Good. How about you?"Gloria took a sip of her wine. "I thought leaving and starting a new page would help, but in truth..." She smiled bitterly. "I've just been running from reality. I've pretended like everything was alright, but I know that I'm not doing alright."The look in Tyler's eyes darkened.Under the dim light, Gloria's face lost its usual edges and seemed gentler.She was a beautiful woman, but contrary to Vicky's vibrant beauty, she had a more sophisticated and timeless beauty.She looked into his eyes and said, "That's why I came back. I wanted to relieve myself of this burden, and I...also want to see how you're doing."Tyler did not respond, and Gloria simply swirled the wine in her glass, the crimson color of the wine c
"On the day I was kidnapped, did you blame me for seeking help from Harvey instead of you?" A gloomy look appeared on Gloria's face. "I was furious when I found out about 'that incident', and since I've saved Harvey's life once, I wanted to give him the chance to make it even and break all ties with him. I just didn't expect it...Vicky to get kidnapped as well."Gloria was young and proud back then. She had always been the brightest star wherever she went and had countless pursuers, who included two of the most eligible bachelors of her generation: Tyler and Harvey.She had saved Harvey's life once, and from that day onward, she became his priority above all. He even confessed his love for her in public, making her the target of envy of all women in the city.She was not interested in Harvey and turned him down, but he continued to care for her as he had always done.After that, Tyler started pursuing her as well. Though his approach had not been as obvious as Harvey, everyone in t
Tyler paused, and his tone deepened. "What happened to her?""She fell onto the ground and won't let anyone near her. She's in a hysterical state right now, and the doctors can't get anywhere near her without injuring her.""I'm coming over now," Tyler said coldly.Once he ended the call, he turned to look at Gloria. "Something came up. I need to go."Just then, the waiter brought the dishes they ordered onto the table.Gloria studied the look on Tyler's face. "Did something happen?""Yeah.""Is this about Vicky?"Tyler nodded.She smiled. "If that's the case, you should go."He got up to leave, but he stilled when he walked past Gloria. He lowered his gaze at her and noticed she was staring at him unblinkingly as though she had been waiting for him to look at her."I'm sorry. I'll buy you dinner again when I have time," he said. After all, it had been him who invited her to dinner, only to abandon her in the restaurant.Gloria did not show any signs of displeasure and smil
Vicky looked at Tyler as though she was looking at someone who murdered her entire family. "You are a monster!" she snarled."What do you want to eat? I'll get someone to send it in."When she saw no sign of guilt on his face, hatred took over her, and she took out a broken piece of glass from her pocket before bringing it down toward Tyler's chest.She had quietly hidden a piece of the broken glass she shattered earlier, but just before the glass could pierce through the layers of clothes, Tyler caught her by the wrist easily.He did not seem surprised, and there were no emotions in his eyes.The sharp edges cut into the palm of Vicky's hand, and blood gushed out.He took the broken piece of glass away from her and snorted. "A glass like this can only injure me at best... It's far from enough to kill me.""Why won't you just kill me?!" Tears welled in her eyes and blurred her sight.She had thought that Tyler would not be so cruel, but reality proved she was far too naive to l
'Isn't that today?' Vicky thought. 'Eight o'clock? I was probably still in surgery at the time, yet he went to enjoy a concert.'She chuckled bitterly.The next day, Tyler brought her home as promised, but it no longer mattered to Vicky where she lived or recovered....Time flew, and soon, the stitches on her ankles were removed.She stared at her feet dazedly."Missus Hart." A woman who was assigned to look after her called Nikki came over. "The weather out there is great. Do you want to go for a walk?"Vicky sat in her wheelchair and stared out the window expressionlessly. "It's fine."Nikki wanted to say something else, but she decided against it when she saw the depressed look on Vicky's face.Once Nikki was gone, Vicky lowered her head and looked at her phone.Ever since she returned from the hospital, Tyler had given her phone back to her.Though she was still bound to the mansion, she could finally contact the outside world and even work in her own study, but none of
That was the reason why Tyler hurried back.Finally, Vicky's gaze landed on the fourth photo where Gloria and Tyler were seen stepping out of a private airport while talking to one another.Vicky's lips curled into a bitter smile and thought, 'He told me a few days ago that he's going to York City for a business trip, but he actually went there to attend Gloria's concert? What a busy man he is.'...In the airport, Gloria smiled gently at the tall, handsome man before her. "Thank you for today, Tyler. Had it not been for you, I would've been late for my interview."Ever since she returned to Zendonia, her schedule had been fully packed.After the performance in York City, she was supposed to return to Stoneford City immediately to attend an interview by a certain television station which would be played in real-time. However, the flight she was on had encountered issues and needed to be sent for maintenance, and she would be late if she took the next flight.Since the interview
Vicky's familiar fragrance filled Tyler's nose and seduced him quietly.He had always been a man to do as he pleased and saw no issue in being intimate with his wife, so he deepened the kiss.After being married to Tyler for so long, Vicky instantly sensed his intention and opened her eyes abruptly. "Go away, Tyler!" she roared in disgust.His touch sent chills down her spine, and every cell within her screamed to get away.He stopped and opened his eyes to look at her. "Not pretending to be asleep anymore?" His voice was hoarse, and his eyes seemed to have darkened in color as lust burned within them.Vicky felt as though she was being hunted by a wolf.She knew the man before her and knew she would suffer if she tried to fight him. Vicky suppressed the disgust in her heart and tried to remain calm. "It's getting late. I'm getting hungry... It's time for dinner."Tyler did not move and simply stared at her quietly. "I heard from Nikki that you haven't been eating."Vicky lower
Tyler disliked crowded places, so instead of taking Vicky to the park, he went on a stroll down the roads around.Though they were not in a park, the environment around them was peaceful and refreshing. However, there was no sign of joy on her face. There was only sorrow in her eyes.She hated Tyler and desperately wanted to kill him. At the same time, she feared him and knew she was powerless against him.She was forced to wear a heart rate monitor around her wrist, and a minor spike in her heart rate would alert Nikki.Vicky no longer had the choice to take her life, because Tyler might make her stay in the bed for the rest of her life as he promised."By the way." Tyler broke the silence. "I found our wedding rings."He took out a familiar-looking ring from his pocket, and her breath caught in her throat at the sight.Tyler bent down and took her hand before putting the ring she had once thrown away onto her ring finger with his long, slim fingers.Their wedding rings glitte
[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