"All done."After some time, the silky voice of a woman rang from behind Tyler. It sounded gentle, soft like a bird's feather.Tyler closed his eyes to hide his emotion. "Thank you."His response came as a surprise to Vicky because Tyler hardly said his thanks to her. Instead, his thanks would come in the form of money, so it shocked her to hear him verbally thanking her."Go rest." Vicky put away the hair dryer. "I'm going to ask Doctor Charlie about the treatment."Tyler responded and slowly stood up. He just woke up from suffering from a fever for four days, and taking a shower consumed most of his energy. Thus, his body swayed unsteadily as he stood up.Vicky quickly came to help him and mumbled, "You can't even stand up steadily, yet you insisted on taking a shower."Speaking of that, she recalled what she saw just before.Appearance-wise, Tyler was lean. As a matter of fact, his figure was perfect, very muscular and toned with six abs. His lower and upper body proportions
Before Vicky finished her sentence, Tyler had guessed what she was going to say and cut her off, "I do mind.""Guess I'll have only Doctor Charlie to ask, then…" muttered Vicky.Vicky much rather drew a handsome young guy like Tyler than an old man. Nonetheless, she took her drawing board, wanting to ask Doctor Charlie to be her model.Since she had to stay in the hospital, there were not many choices out of the people she was close with and those willing to let her draw them.When Vicky was about to leave the ward, she heard Tyler speak in his deep, cold voice. "Wait."Vicky looked back. "What is it?"Tyler furrowed his eyebrows slightly. "I'll let you draw me, but you have to give me after you're finished."Vicky's eyes twinkled. "Sure! The professor will only give us back the painting after he's done taking scores, though. I can give the drawing to you after that. What do you say?"Tyler accepted this reluctantly with a short hum.…One day, Vicky was in the ward when she
Vicky, who was in a good mood, explained, "Alex got addicted to the food in the restaurant we ate in. He was afraid he was going to be hungry later, so he had takeaways… The restaurant is very famous, and there were many people. Their serving time was quite slow, so we had to wait for his takeaways. That's why I was late.""Alex?"Vicky answered, "He's my childhood friend. Alex Torres."The name indicated her friend was a dude."You two are very close?"Vicky nodded. "Yeah. Since I was a kid, I've been best friends with Alex and Sebastian. Alex and his family moved to another country, and we haven't met for a long time."Once Alex knew she was studying in Molivia, he came to visit her immediately. Vicky did not have any friends here, so when Alex came to visit, it chased away her sorrow and brought her happiness.The gentle smile on Vicky's face irritated Tyler, and he found himself feeling rather vexed. It was then he recalled what she said to him before.'If you have a friend
Vicky nodded. "How did you know?""You love spicy food, and I've never seen you ask for them to exclude parsley specifically... This takeaway is obviously not for you." Conflicted emotions filled Alex's eyes. "You'd always be on your phone whenever it's lunchtime for the past two days, asking the doctor if your friend is eating properly, or asking your friend what he feels like eating."Unable to suppress it any longer, Alex finally asked the question on his mind for the past two days. "Vicky, this friend of yours is a man that you're quite close with, right?"Alex had never been a perceptive man, and the fact that he was asking about it showed just how obvious Vicky's behavior was."I told you that this friend of mine helped me out a lot, and the money he gave me surpasses market value for the service I provide, so I can't just leave him there to rot... Besides, he doesn’t know how to take care of himself, and if I don't keep a close eye on him, he might get sick again, so I have
Vicky went in through the door and saw Tyler reading on his bed.The remnants of the sunset spilled through the pristine window and caressed the chiseled contours of the man's handsome face, casting a rosy glow over his features like a serene and graceful painting.Vicky was an art student, so the beautiful sight before her captured her eyes and she could not bring herself to look away.Tyler heard her entering the room but did not lift his head.Puzzled by the absence of footsteps and chattering, he glanced up and met the woman's starry-eyed gaze."Why are you back so early today?" he asked expressionlessly.Vicky immediately snapped out of it and looked away sheepishly. "I brought you dinner." She took out the packed food. "You once said that you like the food from this restaurant, right? I brought you some of their dishes... Oh, I made them pack the spaghetti and sauce separately."Tyler's germaphobia affected his life greatly, and he disliked the idea of mixing the sauce wit
"You don't want to go?" Tyler chuckled and sneered, "Is it because you haven't earned enough money from me?""I told you that this isn't about money!"He stared at Vicky coldly. "You once said that there's a reason why you take care of me. If it's not money that you are after, am I supposed to be your charity case?"Vicky was rendered speechless, and her heart sank in disappointment.She desperately wanted to leave and never return, but her last strand of sensibility stopped her from acting on impulse.She closed her eyes to calm herself before stepping out of the room.Tyler watched as she left and thought, 'It's a good thing that she's gone. I don't need anyone in my life.'...Just as Tyler thought that Vicky had left for good, the door to his room was pushed open again at nine later that night.He turned to look at the entrance and saw Vicky stepping in expressionlessly.He felt dazed at first but frowned seconds later. "Why are you here again?"His cold voice pierced th
Tyler's lashes fluttered. "What am I afraid of?""You're afraid of being close to someone. You're afraid of caring. Why else would you turn all bitter and mean?"His lips curled into a sneer. "Maybe that's just who I am."Vicky stared into his eyes and said, "You're not."He paused."I know that's not who you are. You just want to get rid of me.""Don't speak like you know me," he said coldly."If you're that reluctant to see me, cooperate with your treatment and get better. That way, I won't have to show up in front of you every day."The sneer on Tyler's face faded as he fell into silence....Three days later, Tyler had a full recovery and was discharged from the hospital.He did not have any friends, so Vicky was the only one who helped with everything.Ever since the fight they had, Vicky stopped speaking to Tyler and did not smile as much as she did, but she continued to care for Tyler at her best effort nonetheless.After all the paperwork was filed, Vicky started p
She and Tyler would never see each other again.While Vicky was absorbed in her hectic schedule, rumors about her escalated.One day, Vicky realized that she had forgotten about her keys as soon as she stepped out of the dorm and went back.When she reached the door of her flat, she heard her roommates talking about her."Hey, have you heard of the rumors about Vicky?"Vicky's roommates were three foreign students, and Vicky paused when she heard her name being mentioned."Are you talking about the rumor that says she's been messing around?""I heard that, too. I heard that she asks for quite a lot of money in return. As long as the man can pay, she can do anything!""She hasn't been back to the dorm for the past few days. Do you think...she was out with a man?""There's no doubt that's the case! There's this handsome young man who came by the academy to see her some time ago. She sure has a lot of fish in her pond...""She'd never agree to go to parties, and here I thought s
[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