[Are you alright?]She glanced at the phone number on the screen and a gloomy look appeared in her eyes.It must be from the man who refused to give her his name, and he had left her his number on the day he paid.She glided her fingers across the screen and replied. [When did you find out?][Early on.][You found out when I chose him over you, right?] She typed.[Yes.]Vicky stared at the message carefully and replied. [Have you been helping me all these years?][Does it matter?] The man replied.[Yes.]There was a ten-minute gap until the man finally replied. [I have.]Vicky was not shocked or surprised after reading the message. After all, she's been suspecting this person for the longest time. She just never heard him outwardly prove her right.Vicky stared at the screen of her phone and typed. [I'm sorry, but even in that case, I won't help you.][It's alright.] The mysterious man seemed unconcerned. [I understand your predicament.]A mix of complex emotions surfaced
[Can you send me the time and venue of their meeting?]A few minutes later, Vicky received a message containing the information she asked for....Time flew past and soon, the weekends arrived. Thankfully, Vicky reached the hotel ahead of time.It was the most luxurious hotel in all of Stoneford City and all the guests here were of high status.She found an isolated corner that guaranteed the best view and waited.Sometime later, her phone vibrated when a message was sent to her, saying, [They're here.]She looked up at the door, and as expected, a handsome and aloof man strode in gracefully.His perfectly pressed black suit accentuated his already tall and slender figure, making him exceptionally striking. His deep, clear eyes resembled an abyss, and his sharply defined face remained expressionless. Yet, the man exuded an air of nobility that catches the attention of passersby.Following behind him, walking alongside two middle-aged women, was a young lady from a prominent fa
"Ex-wife?!" Vicky silently mouthed as she slammed her fist onto the table, causing the steaming hot tea to spill onto the table.The scalding liquid grazed her hand, leaving a reddened patch on her fair and delicate palm."Are you okay?" The man quickly stood up.At the same time, a voice unfamiliar to Vicky, that of a middle-aged man, sounded from the listening device."We all know that Tyler used to be married. The reason we're here today is to show that we are willing to accept his past. What I want to know is... When will your side of the matter be settled?""Yes." The voice of an unfamiliar middle-aged woman chimed in, "When will this marriage finally end?""Soon. Tyler has already drafted the divorce agreement," Orion said."That woman is nothing more than a jumped-up nobody. How could she ever compare to my boy? Don't worry, this marriage will definitely be over in the near future," Valencia added.Still, there seemed to be lingering doubt from the other side. "Aurora ca
The dishes she ordered surprisingly matched Tyler's taste, so Tyler could not help but take another glance at her. "Did you look into me?" He asked.As his gaze met hers, Aurora's face blushed slightly, but she did not avoid his gaze. "Of course, you are my future husband. It's only natural to inquire about your preferences. It would be awkward if I ordered something you didn't like.""Your future husband?" Tyler's lips parted slightly. "How do you know that I will definitely be your husband?""I don't." Aurora's expression was shy, yet her eyes were resolute. "All I know is that fortune favors the bold. Therefore, I have to make an effort, at the very least.""If I recall correctly, Miss Starling, this is our first time meeting.""Yes, I am aware.""Since it's our first meeting, why did you assume I'd want to be your husband?""Because... I like you.""You like me? What do you like about me?""You're handsome, charismatic, and hold a remarkable status. You're also part of the
Aurora looked at Tyler with surprise, somewhat unexpected that such words could come from his mouth. Soon, she felt happy because it brought them closer."You're right," she agreed with Tyler's words. "What you mean to say is that one must acknowledge their own position and learn to be content when they have what they desire. Mister Hart, rest assured, this situation you mentioned will never happen with me."As they spoke, the waiter knocked on the door of the private room and brought the dishes they had ordered. Afterward, the two of them quietly dined, and their conversation temporarily paused.Vicky's wound was quickly bandaged, but the burning pain seemed to have spread to her heart, through her veins, and all around her body, suffocating her.She could not imagine that one day, she would be labeled as greedy and unreasonable. She suddenly felt like a mad woman, eager to know what caused them to reach this point of no return.Why did he suddenly stop liking her? Why did he bec
Vicky followed them at a distance, listening to the murmurs of the people around her."They make such a perfect couple! You can tell they come from a prestigious family!""That man is incredibly handsome, and the woman is beautiful, too. Judging by their attire, they are definitely a match made in heaven... Ah, fairy tales are all lies. Princes always marry Princesses, not Cinderellas.""Well, of course. The rich and common folk have different values. There is no way they can be together. It's always been like this since the dawn of day.""There are too many examples like this. Relationships with unequal status never get a happy ending."Along the way, Vicky heard various comments from people and felt a sense of disorientation.'Was that why Tyler and I were destined to be unhappy as well?' She thought.Tyler and Aurora were drawing a lot of attention, so there was no worry in Vicky of losing them.They did not do anything out of line along the way apart from just strolling and
Before Tyler could speak, Aurora could not stand by any longer and interfered. "Miss Shaw, Is this how you always unjustly accuse Tyler? I simply tripped by accident, and he kindly helped me up. You must be misunderstanding this whole situation."Aurora had investigated not only Tyler but also his wife, Vicky.At this moment, as she looked into Vicky's eyes, she saw her as nothing more than an unreasonable and insane woman. She maintained a controlled expression, but no matter how well she controlled herself, her superiority and condescension still leaked through her gaze.That gaze was a sense of superiority that only those who grew up in a true noble family would possess."Did I misunderstand something?" Vicky stared at Aurora. "Miss Starling, are you trying to tell me that you and Tyler are just friends and not prospective partners? That you don't have any feelings for him, nor do you see him as a future husband, and just see him as a regular friend?"Aurora, who grew up in a p
Vicky had a premonition that he was growing distant, but she refused to believe it. After all, it seemed unlikely that someone as obsessed with their marriage as Tyler would change all of a sudden. After another prolonged period of silence, Tyler said, "Let's talk elsewhere." This time, Vicky did not refuse. "Sure." ... Instead of returning home, they went back to the same hotel as before. Upon entering the room, Aurora sat next to Tyler while Vicky sat across from them, as though Aurora and Tyler were the married couple, and she was merely an outsider. Once they were all seated, Aurora called for tea, and they fell silent for a long time. Vicky did not know what to think of the situation she was in. It felt like a confrontation. 'Has he finally reached a point where he sees no point in maintaining a facade anymore?' Vicky thought with a composed look despite all the emotions that swarmed her from within. The knocking sounds from the door interrupted, and Harry entere
[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