[I'm already here. When will you arrive?]There was no response.Just as Vicky considered if she should make a call instead, her phone vibrated.[Sorry. Something came up. I might be late.]The look in Vicky's eyes darkened as she thought to herself, 'Is he late, or does he not plan on coming at all?'After a long thoughtful pause, she stepped out of the club and found a hidden corner not far away that could guarantee sight of the door.There were too many restrictions for hiding in the room, and she would have no means of improvising if the mysterious man arrived at the door, only to decide against going inside.The person said they had met before, and though Vicky did not have a photogenic memory, she could recall most of the people she had met in the past.Sometime later, a black car stopped outside the entrance, and as the door opened, a familiar-looking figure stepped out.His back faced Vicky, and she could not see his face, but she instantly straightened her back in int
[Are you not here yet?] The mysterious person sent.Vicky glided her fingers across the screen to type. [I am in the room now.][You weren't here when I came inside, though.] The man replied.Vicky's breath hitched. [I was occupied and went outside for a moment.][Sorry, I can't stay too long. Let's reschedule.] The man replied.Vicky stared at the text for a long while before replying. [Sure.]She did not believe in the man's excuse and realized that he might have left fearing that she was up to no good when he saw that the room was empty.She did not stay for long and went to the lobby to wait for the elevator.Ding! The elevator arrived, and she went inside to find that it was occupied by another person.She did not pay much attention to the other person at first, but she froze when she accidentally caught a glimpse of the man's face later on."It's you!" She stared at him. "You..."The gentleman did not seem surprised to see her and smiled kindly at her. "We meet again,
Vicky stood still for a few moments before walking toward Tyler's car.Tyler was resting with his eyes closed and opened them when he heard knocking on his car window.He unlocked the car when he spotted Vicky outside, and she immediately opened the door to the passenger's seat."Why haven't you left?" she asked."I wanted to wait for you." He looked at her and asked, "Why are you out so soon?"The lights inside the car were off, and the neon light of the club shone into the car faintly; his features appeared clouded under such lighting."... My client said something else came up, so she can't make it today."Rescheduling meetings with her clients happened frequently, but Vicky still felt slightly uneasy about lying.Tyler did not ask much about it and simply started the car. "Let's go home, then.""Okay."They arrived home early. Tyler went to his study to finish up his work, while Vicky sat on the couch, staring at her phone dazedly.After a while, she finally summoned the
Ever since that day, the mysterious man had not reached out to Vicky again, and the peaceful days returned.However, Tyler seemed to be extremely busy after that and no longer had time to return home for dinner.One day, Tyler ended work early and returned home in time for dinner.Vicky glanced at her watch and picked up her purse to leave her studio when her phone rang.She pulled her phone out and smiled when she saw Tyler's name on the screen. She answered it and asked, "Have you returned home?"After a brief moment of silence, Tyler said, "Vicky, something urgent came up. I'm afraid I can't come home tonight as well."The smile on her lips froze in place. "A—Again?""Yeah."Vicky knew Tyler was busy as the CEO of Hart Corporation, but they had not been able to dine together for a whole month, and she could not help feeling upset."Tyler, when will you be done with work?" she asked."It'll take some more time.""I thought you didn't have anything else to do today.""Some
However, as Vicky watched the continuous stream of phone calls and the assistant constantly knocking on the door to report work, she felt that her presence there would only hinder his work, so she left."You don't know that for sure," Cece whispered. "Vicky, men like Tyler, handsome and of distinguished status, are desired by many women. Even if he's married, it won't diminish his charm in the slightest. You can't be so casual about it."Vicky did not take it to heart and simply replied, "He won't cheat on me. I trust him."Cece wanted to say more but could only sigh silently after seeing how certain Vicky was.The waiter quickly brought the dishes they ordered.The fragrance of the food and spices filled the air, making Cece's stomach growl. "Mm, it smells so good! I'm practically drooling."Vicky laughed and said, "Between the two of us, we don't have to worry about appearances. Let's dig in and eat as much as we want.""Well, I won't hold back, then!"Cece picked up her spoo
Upon seeing Aria approaching, Cece's expression immediately turned cold and she looked at Aria with a guarded expression without a hint of friendliness in her eyes toward Aria."Ms. Shaw, what a coincidence," Aria said openly. "Are you also here for a meal?"Cece glanced at Aria and pretended to be surprised as she said to Vicky, "Vicky, didn't you say that Mister Hart had something urgent to attend to and wouldn't be coming back for dinner? So he's not busy with work and was occupied with having dinner with another woman, huh?"Cece noticed Vicky's recent disappointment.Some time ago, Tyler had been extremely attentive to Vicky, picking her up for work, calling and texting whenever he had free time, and even having fresh flowers delivered to her every day.Vicky's mood at the time clearly indicated that they were in the honeymoon phase.It was not long before Tyler became busy. It would be one thing if he was truly busy with work, yet he was caught having dinner with another wo
Vicky knew that even as a married couple, they needed their space, but that did not mean he should not speak up about meeting another woman just because she did not ask.Aria spoke at the right moment, "Ms. Shaw, Mister Hart and I have a business collaboration which you should be aware of. I'm sure you've asked about our relationship, and he has explained it to you. If there was anything between us, you wouldn't be married to him now." Pausing for a moment, Aria tactfully continued, "Ms. Shaw, throwing tantrums occasionally adds to a woman's charm, but you shouldn't be too petty. You're now Mister Hart's wife, and your every action and word represents his image. As for me... Well, I'll let it slide. After all, I've known Tyler for many years and can be considered friends. However, I'd advise caution in front of others."Vicky looked at Aria and asked, "Miss Everly, are you telling me that I'm being petty?"Aria smiled. "As I mentioned earlier, if you don't like me linking arms with
Vicky remained silent, not uttering a word.Cece noticed the gloomy look on her face and quieted down.After finishing dinner, they both went home separately....Later at night, Vicky had just stepped out of the bedroom when the door was pushed open, and a handsome and tall man entered the room.Vicky was drying her hair and paused briefly before she continued.Footsteps approached, and not long after, arms wrapped around Vicky from behind."Are you angry?" a deep and clear voice resounded."No, I’m not." Vicky pushed him away. "Just let go for now. I'm drying my hair. You're in the way.""I'll help you." Tyler smoothly took the towel from her hands and earnestly began drying her hair. Once it was nearly done, Tyler added, "Wait a moment, I'll get the hairdryer."Tyler headed towards the bathroom while Vicky stood in place, gazing at his towering figure of the man. A faint hint of bitterness welled up within her when recalled that it had been a while since he helped her with
[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