‘Addy? Can’t believe I’d run into her here.’Dillon suddenly hit the brakes and stopped his car right in front of Adina’s vehicle.He pushed open the car door to get out, then he walked toward the driver’s seat where Adina was and lightly tapped on her door.Adina lowered the car window and coolly said, “Mr. Jones, is something wrong?”“Addy, where have you been these past three weeks, I’ve been trying to find you…” Dillon’s speech was somewhat incoherent. “What happened to your face? Did you get injured? Is it serious?”His concern went beyond words, which made it hard for Adina to keep a stoic facade. She softened her tone as she said, “I went on a trip overseas and only got back yesterday. Is there a reason why you were looking for me, Mr. Jones?”“No, it’s nothing…” Dillon sighed in relief. “I was just a little worried for you. It’s good that you’re okay…”When he finished speaking, he was not sure what to say next, yet he was reluctant to leave, so he just stood like an idi
After Adina had taken the children to their preschool to resume their classes, she drove the car straight to the Xavier family.Although the news about her being missing for more than twenty days had been kept well-hidden by the Winters family, the Xavier family should have already found out what they needed to know.She drove the car into the Xavier family’s mansion. As soon as she got out of her car, Mdm. Xavier’s personal maids came over and said in a low voice, “Miss Adina, it has been so long. Mdm. Xavier worries about you every day. Her eyes are swollen from crying, and she has no appetite. She has lost a lot of weight...”Adina nodded to show that she understood and guided her children inside.Mdm. Xavier had arched her head back and was sunbathing on a deck chair on the balcony.“Great Grandma, I’ve missed you!”Harold rushed over in large strides. He hugged Mdm. Xavier’s neck and started acting cute.“Great Grandma, I love you the most!” Melody said softly as she leaned
After she announced her severance, she never cared about the Daugherty family again.Moreover, she was never a Daugherty, to begin with.“Dew was mistreated in prison…” Mdm. Xavier sighed and said, “Half a month ago, news got out that she was pregnant. She had just gotten pregnant, but those people beat her up until she miscarried. Dew’s health is ruined, and her mind is not quite right. The rumor is that she has gone mad and was admitted into a mental asylum.”Adina pursed her lips. She had mixed feelings about this.During their younger days, she saw Dew as her own sister. However, on the day of her coming-of-age ceremony at 18 years old, a crack formed in their sisterhood.That night, when Adina gave birth to her children, the crack became a full-blown rupture.She resented Dew for four years. Once, she had been so depressed that she was willing to run Dew over with a car.However, when George and Harold reunited with her, all the past resentment and hatred dissipated.They
After she returned to the Winters family’s mansion, Adina told Duke about the Jones family issue.The man hugged her by the shoulder and softly spoke into her ear, “Whoever’s daughter you are, you will always be my wife. This will never change.”What he meant was that he did not care who her father was. Whichever family she came from, even if she had no family to speak of, he would always love her.Adina leaned into his strong chest. “Dillon invited me to have lunch with him at the Jones family’s mansion. I’ll go, and while I’m there, I want to find out what happened between Dillon and my mother...”“I’ll go with you.” Duke hugged her tight.“There’s no need. I’ll just bring the children with me.” Adina cupped his face. “Earl may have lost his freedom, but he had plenty of confidants who have all taken root in Sea City. You’ll have to deal with these people, so make sure that you don’t show that you care about me.”If those lackeys found out that someone else had taken Earl’s pla
Duke nipped her ear and spoke in a low voice, his tone carrying sinful promises.“No, I wasn’t!” Adina evaded his lips and tongue. “Get off, I still want to read my book.”“Who was the one who impatiently chased the children away just now? And who was the one who hurried out of the bed to lock the door?” Duke trailed after her, giving her ear another nip. “Are you still saying no, hm?”“No, I’m really not in the mood!”Adina tried to run, but Duke grabbed her ankle, and she ended up pinned by him again.The man’s kisses came in full force. He kissed her from head to toe, and her whole body seemed electrified. The numb feeling made her feel as if she was floating, and her brain turned to pulp. Her reasoning was also squashed.Duke suddenly stopped right at the crucial moment.His voice came to her ear, “Say it. Do you want me?”His magnetic, sultry voice was fatally alluring.Adina no longer had any room for thought. She hugged Duke’s neck, and instinctively said, “Dear…”Just
The late winter sunlight was warm and balmy.Adina wore a knit skirt as a base before she put on a rice white overcoat. She dressed warmly and smartly.The only problem was that her cheeks had two patches of gauze that marred her beauty.Duke stopped the car at the entrance of the Jones family’s mansion, and softly said, “Call me when it’s about to end, so I can come to fetch you in advance.”“Bye-bye, Daddy!”“See you later, Daddy!”“You have to remember to come fetch us, okay?”After the four children had bid their goodbyes to Duke, they took Adina’s hand and walked into the mansion. The Jones family’s mansion was decorated with antiques and was built like a traditional house with a courtyard. The winter sun shone down and made the whole mansion appear quite tranquil.There were already servants awaiting them beside the entrance. They respectfully welcomed the adult and four children inside.“Addy!”As soon as Dillon heard the servants giving their regards, he immediately
He was speaking halfway when he abruptly stopped.Would Adina view liking calligraphy paintings as a useless hobby? Would it cause Addy to dislike him?He paused for a moment before he changed the topic, saying, “I like looking into the calligraphy painting market. A few years ago, I gathered a collection of antique calligraphy paintings and managed to sell them about a month ago. I earned back a net profit of three times the original price.”That money was then used to help boost the viewership count and get Addy onto the news.“Then, can you paint, Grandpa Dillon?” Harold asked, blinking his eyes. “I really like painting. Can you teach me?”“You really like painting?” Dillon’s eyes lit up. “After we finish lunch, you can paint something for me, okay?”Harold proudly lifted his chin. “Of course, I can! I even got first place in my preschool’s painting competition!”George and Alden were smart and outstanding ones, so no one really paid any mind to his drawing ability. After a
Adina went back to the living room balcony.She took a look at Harold’s painting. It was a painting of a withered lotus in winter, and it was already half-finished. The brush strokes were still that of an amateur, but the artistic undertones were there.Adina did not interrupt Harold’s painting and quietly took a seat to the side.The afternoon day flew by, and soon it was three o’clock in the afternoon. Harold was about to complete his painting when the sound of a car engine was heard from the mansion’s entrance.Dillon was so immersed in his fascination for Harold’s painting skills that he did not pay any attention to the situation outside.Adina turned her head to take a look outside. She saw a handsome youth disembark from a black car.It was Daniel.She thought about what she overheard from the servants earlier.For the sake of protecting her privacy, Daniel had pulled out from Jones Corporation’s succession contest.She pursed her lips and strode toward him.Daniel was