Lena looked at him and met his warm gaze. She did not say anything but subconsciously looked at the pizza. Her heart was chaotic.Chris tried to reach for her hand, but she evaded him again.In the moment of his distraction, she reached over, picked a slice of pizza from his plate, and then took a bite of the heart-shaped egg."Lena... Lena, this...""It's pretty good," she said softly.Chris was anxious. "I wasn't talking about the egg!""You were talking about the pizza?""Lena…"Chris had never blushed because of a woman before.He let out a deep sigh while Lena remained steady as a rock.Just then, the owner, Julius Sparks, came over. His booming voice broke the awkward silence."Are you both enjoying your meal? Would you like another serving of pizza?"Chris glanced at the middle-aged man with his elbows on the table. He covered his face with a helpless expression."I have to say, this doesn't look like your usual appetite!" Julius chuckled, patting Chris on the shoul
Lena's heart jolted as she whispered, "I don't understand what you're talking about.""Oh, you don't understand?"Lena remained polite. "Ms. Renee, it's quite late now. You should rest early.""Stop right there!" Renee blocked Lena's path, her intense gaze fixed on her. "You haven't answered my question! W-Why has everything been different since you appeared?""Ms. Renee...""Why did you always keep an eye on my mother?" Renee trembled, tears streaming down her face. "From the first day she came to the Thompsons', you said she wandered around the study with ulterior motives...""I didn't say anything wrong." Lena's expression was cold. "She did indeed steal Lina's design after that!""That wasn't my mother! That person... That person was..."Lena spoke deliberately. "Ms. Renee, I just want to protect the safety of everyone in the Thompsons, including you. If anyone intends harm to the Thompsons, no matter who it is, I won't let them go.""Stop talking!" Renee covered her ears
Lina finally finished the last document of the morning and stretched as she glanced at the calendar on her desk. It was covered with circles and notes, all added by Zuko. He wanted to ask for more "allowance" on those days. Hopefully, there might be unexpected gains aside from pocket money.Lina smiled, turned off her computer, and prepared to leave for home at noon. Just then, her secretary knocked on the door and entered."Ms. Thompson, look who's here!"Lina looked up and was delightfully surprised to see Linda and Melissa coming together.Abandoning the thought of Zuko's request for "allowance", she rushed over and linked arms with her mothers.-The three women sat at a hotel restaurant near the company. Lina ordered dishes that Linda and Melissa loved and happily watched the two mothers interact like old best friends.In fact, they had indeed become like long-time best friends. Melissa had learned how to appreciate reading, tea tasting, and flower cultivation from Linda, w
Renee nodded slightly and greeted her.Jacquelin was sharp at observing people's expressions and could tell Renee had something on her mind. Following Renee's gaze, she noticed her looking in the direction of Jade and Lena.Renee did not have many interactions with Jade, so the only possible reason for her attention was the person dressed in black.Jacquelin chuckled softly. "Ms. Thompson, it's been a while since you've been to the company. Did you notice some significant changes when you came today?"Renee hesitated, pretending not to understand.Jacquelin persistently continued, raising her chin slightly. "Are you looking at her?"Renee did not say anything, but Jacquelin noticed her fists clenching even tighter."Oh, Ms. Thompson, there's nothing special about Granny Harding! How about I treat you to coffee instead? Come on. Let's go upstairs now. There are a few new items...""What did you just say?" Renee was puzzled. "You called her...""Oh, Granny Harding? That's what w
Renee hesitated for a moment and answered the call.The voice on the other end introduced themselves directly, "Is this Renee Thompson? This is Centrolis Suburban Prison."Renee's heart raced, and her legs suddenly felt weak."We need to confirm with you." The voice continued. "Your father is Melvin Thompson, is that correct?""Yes...""Melvin Thompson's execution date is the 14th of this month."Renee took a sharp breath, staggering and leaning against a nearby tree."Ms. Renee Thompson, are you there?"Renee took deep breaths, trying to remain calm. "Yes, I'm listening...""As per usual practice, a death row inmate is allowed to meet with family members before the execution. Melvin has expressed his desire to see you. The specific time is..."It was as if millions of insects were buzzing loudly in Renee's ears. She hung up and started running along the street, hoping she could escape the mockery of fate by doing so.However...Renee ran all the way to the seaside, her min
"No! No!" Renee seemed trapped in an endless nightmare, covering her ears and screaming in terror. She wanted to escape, but an invisible hand seemed to grip her tightly, throwing her into a quagmire from which there was no salvation."You worthless girl! Just like your mother, brainless trash! You had the chance to revel in endless glory and riches, but you insisted on giving it all away! Useless waste!""Shut up!" Renee lunged forward, pounding on the glass as if possessed. "You animal! It's all because of you! My mother... It's because of you she suffered and ended up with dissociative identity disorder... And now she's dead! Are you satisfied?!""What?" Melvin was surprised, then burst into increasingly loud laughter.The prison guards had warned him multiple times, but it was futile. Thus, they eventually decided to push him back into his cell.A female guard outside gently patted Renee's shoulder and guided her to sit down.Just as Melvin was about to be pushed back through
Toph no longer needed crutches. The doctors had said it was due to his good physical foundation and his optimistic attitude.Toph finally had something to boast about. He often patted his chest before his parents, Zuko, and Lina, saying, "You used to think I was just foolishly cheerful! How about now? A smile can make you ten years younger! A good mood is the magical cure for everything!"In spite of it, Renee lost her smile after Kaitlyn's death, and Toph's laughter also diminished.-Renee arrived at the Hamerton's residence. Even though Toph had his place, Cordelia insisted he should not be alone due to his recent injury. He had to stay with them for the convenience of taking care of him.Toph was sitting by the sofa with a litter of kittens on the coffee table, mewing cutely and melting everyone's hearts.Worried that the kittens were too small to drink milk, Toph had prepared several small bottles and was carefully feeding them with the bottles. This delicate work was not ex
Toph paused, then he smiled, ruffling Renee's hair affectionately."I really want to marry you soon, too," he said gently. "But... Aunt Kaitlyn just passed, so it might not be appropriate for us to have the wedding now.""Toph, do you also believe in these things?""I'm not superstitious," Toph explained seriously. "It's just human nature. To hold a wedding immediately after a funeral, the outsiders might think—""Do you care a lot about what others think?"Toph furrowed his brow, at a loss for words. He felt that Renee was somewhat different.No, it was not just today. Since Kaitlyn's death, it was as if all of Renee's happiness had been taken away along with her mother. She became sensitive and suspicious and rarely smiled or spoke. Her once introverted personality had become even more gloomy and melancholic.Toph tried his best to make her happy. But he knew it wouldn't be easy for her to feel better quickly. Losing her mother had been hard, especially because she was there w