"Graham, listen to me!" Sophia panicked, her words a jumbled mess. "I did this for our future! Your parents handed everything over to your sister, but what about us? What about James and me? Didn't you say you'd treat him like your own son? But we have nothing! How are we going to support him?""Shut up!" At that moment, Graham suddenly snapped out of his stupor. It had become clear that Sophia was always talking about how to support her son. What she didn't understand was that he was willing to treat James like his own son because he loved her, not because he owed her."Graham..." Sophia was in tears. "I know what I did was wrong, but I did it for our future. I hoped your parents would think highly of me, that we could get married smoothly, and that we—""That you could take over my family's assets in the future?""You—"Graham roared, "Arya is my own sister! How could you do such a thing behind my back?!"Sophia stood there, stunned. After a while, she screamed, "Graham! Are yo
Graham looked at Daniel with a mix of fear and resentment in his eyes."You didn't value what you had when you had the chance. It's too late now!" Daniel pointed at him, saying coldly, "If you dare to bother my woman again, you'll end up in prison with Sophia!"He then left with Maisie, leaving only the two siblings in the now-empty room.Graham sat there, stunned and motionless. Arya watched her brother in anguish and couldn't help but shed tears."Graham..." She struggled to help him up. "You should have realized who Sophia really was a long time ago. If it weren't for her, our family wouldn't be in this situation today."Graham sat there in pain, his eyes closed as he leaned against the wall, repeatedly banging the back of his head against it.Arya reassured him, "I think Daniel probably just wanted to teach you a lesson and didn't intend to do anything extreme. Since the debt you owe is from his bank, we can try to appeal to him and ask for some time to repay it.""Heh! Appe
Daniel reentered Maisie's world and often stayed in her apartment, claiming to watch over and protect her. Despite her attempts to refuse, she eventually relented.While he had to settle for the sofa, he was content with it, believing he could sleep beside her one day. Daniel spent most of his time with Maisie, taking care of household chores and cooking her meals. Now, he truly understood how challenging it had been for her to do these tasks for him before and how much she had loved doing them every day.Sometimes, Maisie watched him bustling around the house, puzzled by inexplicable dreams that haunted her. However, she admitted to feeling more at ease with Daniel around. He provided a different kind of comfort compared to what Graham had offered.In the past, Graham often deferred things, saying, "wait until later", "when there's an opportunity", or "in the future".In contrast, Daniel frequently assured her, saying, "I'm here", "leave it to me", and "don't be afraid". His words
Daniel lowered his head. "I've caused trouble for you and Nicholas.""Don't think of it that way," Linda said gently. "The connections and separations between people are destined. If we trace it back, I'm the main culprit in this matter. I shouldn't have introduced Maisie to Graham in the first place.""This time, I've caused you inconvenience," Daniel admitted earnestly. "I confess that what I did was pretty underhanded, using some unsavory methods. Don't worry. I won't do anything to the Bayers. As for the debts that Graham owes the bank—"Before he could finish his sentence, Linda said, "Josiah and Kelly are both reasonable people. It's only right to repay debts. They'll transfer the money he owes to your bank account in installments.""In that case, I won't ask for interest," Daniel said.Linda smiled, her expression a mix of approval and a touch of helplessness."As for Graham…" Daniel continued. "I'll never forgive him! He should have thought about this day when he was mist
Graham's sense of leaving his body overwhelmed him. He felt weightless, suspended in the emergency room, watching the frantic doctors and his lifeless body below. He sighed, sensing a pending release.His mind remained clear, but he lacked the will to fight for his life.The conflict with Wesley had triggered this predicament.-A few hours earlier.Wesley was already a mess following his divorce from Nicole and had sunk even lower. It was that fateful day that Graham accidentally crossed paths with Wesley while the former was drowning his sorrows in a small bar.A heated argument escalated into a physical brawl.Wesley was sharp-eyed. He swiftly recognized Graham as the heir of the Bayers and used Maisie's situation to taunt him.Enraged, Graham threw a punch. Despite initiating the fight, he was no match for the larger, stronger Wesley, who sent him to the emergency room.-Graham couldn't shake the memory of Wesley's hurtful words."The Bayer heir is nothing special—can't
This feeling of affection for her had started when they first met.After a while, Maisie's soft voice pierced the night's silence. "Daniel..."Daniel was surprised, and his heart began to race. "What did you say?"Maisie bit her lip, her cheeks flushing as if she had a fever. She was about to speak when a sharp pain gripped her lower abdomen. She gasped and curled up in bed.Daniel sensed something was wrong and rushed into the bedroom. "Maisie, what's wrong?"He gently turned her and saw her pale face. "Maisie?""I... I'm fine." Maisie forced a smile. "It's just a stomachache. I'll be okay if I rest for a while."Daniel's initial thought was that it was her time of the month. He reached for her hand, speaking softly. "I'll go make you some hot chocolate.""No need." Maisie stopped him. "It's not that...""What is it?""It's an old problem," she said weakly with a smile. She had been like that for the past two years, experiencing sporadic pains on both sides of her stomach. T
Maisie frowned, gazing quietly at Graham. After a moment, she spoke with a heavy heart. "Graham, it's impossible for us to return to what we were.""Maisie—""We're from different worlds," she stated plainly. "I can see that you love Sophia. If she hadn't hurt you so deeply, you wouldn't have come back for me.""No!""Let's face reality." Her eyes grew cold. "We can't turn back."Graham's heart plummeted as if into an endless abyss.Maisie was right—he didn't have strong feelings for her. He had mostly dated her because Josiah and Kelly liked her. But beyond impressing the seniors, what did she truly offer? How dare she reject him?He clenched his fists, and his eyes underwent a subtle change. As Maisie began to leave, he blocked her path. "You've been into Daniel from the start, haven't you?"Maisie was taken aback."It was you who betrayed me first!" Graham glared at her fiercely, losing his composure. "Though unspoken, you emotionally cheated on me! You were charmed by him
Daniel headed directly to the gynecology department, where Nina Perkins, who had previously consulted with Maisie, had just seen another patient. His unexpected presence took her aback."Mr. Quimby," she greeted him.Daniel nodded and entered her office, closing the door behind him.Nina handed him Maisie's medical report. He struggled to decipher the medical terms but gleaned some insight from the doctor's expression."Is it... quite serious?" he asked.Nina responded honestly. "Yes. To be precise, it's related to the previous labor induction."Daniel's face darkened—this was what he had feared."I examined Ms. Maisie's medical records from Cumulus City. The procedure caused significant harm, leading to frequent stomachaches."Daniel's heart ached, and he instinctively clenched his fists."Don't worry, Mr. Quimby," Nina assured, adjusting her glasses. "It's not incurable. But if the two of you plan to have children...""We'll discuss that in the future," he replied solemnly.
"Only Morpheus and Sephy aren't like that. They respect and understand me. Sephy told me once, 'One's appearance doesn't indicate anything. A clean heart is what truly matters!'"Rebecca chuckled dismissively."You're a psychologist, yet you fail to grasp this," Wynn said coldly. "Actually, I pity you. You could have stepped out, yet you insist on dwelling on the trivialities."Morpheus has psychological barriers, a consequence of returning from the battlefield. No one has cured his PTSD except Sephy... It shows that a true psychologist is never just a title."What truly heals everything is love!"-One particular morning a year later, sunlight streamed through sheer cream curtains onto the floor.Persephone was sound asleep when she suddenly felt something pressing down on her... Then, Morpheus' strong arms wrapped around her slender waist. She drowsily opened her eyes to find him sealing her lips with heated kisses.Over the year, his kissing skills had improved, and Persepho
With Morpheus' involvement, the police didn't slack off and quickly found Rebecca.That day, Rebecca was preparing to escape from a small port. The boat she had found was an illegally operating one.As she was about to board, piercing sirens sounded nearby.The boat owner, enraged upon hearing the sirens, grabbed Rebecca by her hair and pushed her into the water.Rebecca screamed for help, but he roared, "I didn't expect you to be sent by the cops!""I'm not..." Rebecca choked on water. "Sir, let's leave now. Your boat is fast. As long as we reach the open sea, no one will catch you!""Dream on!" The boat owner wanted to strangle her. "Do you not understand? These sirens are from the royal guards! Who did you bitch provoke?"Rebecca was dumbfounded. Being a foreigner, she naturally didn't understand the local affairs in the Southeast Aciatic region.The police and royal guards quickly caught up, armed, and surrounded them.Rebecca turned pale and trembled all over, her gaze gr
"You had no choice on the battlefield."Persephone looked at him with her crystal eyes. There was a magical power in them. Even if a devil was tearing him apart, her eyes would always bring him back to light.She smiled and caressed his cheek. "Though you killed your father, you saved the country.""Do you really… think so?"She nodded. "You're not at fault. He was the one who made a mistake. You were just fulfilling your job as a general to protect the country."But I also understand that he's your father who brought you up, after all. You guys must have had happy days before that happened, right?"Morpheus held his head low in silence."You did well as the protector of the country," she said softly. "But as a son, you can secretly pay homage to him."Persephone held his hand. "Reconcile with your father, Morpheus. You'll also reconcile with yourself by doing that, okay?"He was stunned for a long time and felt a lump in his throat.-Morpheus stayed with Persephone in the
"No way!" Christopher smirked, glancing at Morpheus. "To him, you're his only princess! I just got lucky for the princess carry, thanks to you!""Yeah, at least you're self-aware!" Persephone nodded, rubbing her chin."We've known each other for so long! What kind of person do you think I am?" Christopher laughed. "I can be a bit shameless at times, but..."But upon learning that the one she loved was the unbeatable god of war, he willingly stepped back, offering his blessings with a smile."Okay, okay. You two stop crowding around me!" Christopher waved his hand. "Sephy needs more rest, and I'd like to get some more sleep, too! Once we heal, let's go out and have some fun together!""You're still thinking about fun?" Morpheus' deep voice intervened with a wry smile. "With the factory explosion incident, the royal family is furious and will thoroughly investigate it. Many people will probably be coming to talk to you both in the next few days. After all, you two are the most direc
"Let's get out first!""Hey, wait..." Persephone pointed to the other side.In moments of life and death, it wasn't appropriate to laugh, but Morpheus still chuckled. The young Prince Christopher was sprawled on the floor in a very ridiculous pose, and they almost forgot about him!"Don't worry," Morpheus whispered. "I won't let anything happen to him."He had Persephone cling to his back and then carried Christopher.Christopher was a tall fellow, so it took some effort to carry them both to a safe place.Fire trucks, ambulances, and police cars rushed in. Their sirens pierced the sky, startling a flock of birds.The fire was soon extinguished, and Persephone and Christopher received timely treatment. Luckily, their burns weren't too severe, and even more fortunately, their faces were unharmed.When Christopher woke up, he felt bandages wrapped around his head, and his skin had a burning sensation. His heart sank, and he was almost on the verge of tears."Tell me the truth! A
There was fire everywhere. Flames rushed toward Persephone like menacing dragons. Her consciousness grew increasingly blurred, but the searing pain coursing through her body became clearer. She struggled to get up, the agony almost unbearable.Despite several attempts, it was futile...Something was pinning her feet down, and stones kept falling on her. She couldn't even muster a shout.Many images flashed through her mind in that fleeting moment, each frame featuring Morpheus' face…She remembered the times they had spent together in Flinge, how he had initially distanced himself from her, then later had exerted every effort to protect her. She recalled how he would gently ruffle her hair and call her "silly goose"..."Morpheus, I'm afraid I might have to go first..."The fire grew fiercer, explosions resonated continuously, and she could no longer hold on.Christopher, who was nearby, wasn't any better.Amidst the roaring flames, he couldn't see anything clearly, only pulling
"No need, you can go back first." Morpheus glanced at him. "I'll wait here for her a little longer.""Prince Christopher wouldn't do anything to Ms. Hamerton...""Alfred, what are you thinking?" Morpheus couldn't help but chuckle. "I know exactly what Christopher is like, but I just want to wait here for Sephy. Christopher mentioned that she'd specifically designed these fireworks for me. Hah! I'm the useless one. I don't even dare to go inside and take a look.""Sir, don't say that.""If I wait here, will it count as accompanying her in her efforts?"Alfred nodded.Morpheus smiled and sent Alfred back. He continued waiting under the tree.The air in Southeast Aciatic was hot and humid. The shade of the banyan tree offered some relief, but it couldn't completely dispel the oppressive heat.Morpheus took a deep breath, about to move elsewhere, when he glimpsed a suspicious figure swiftly darting through the factory's side gate.The security at the side gate was lax, making it e
Christopher struggled to swallow the bite of the sandwich in his mouth for what seemed like ages. He gazed at Persephone, his mind wandering back…He didn't just know Morpheus. He had been close since childhood to the children of the two prominent military families in Southeast Aciatic.Compared to the Harrises, he preferred visiting the Ortons, especially when he got to spend time with Morpheus. He considered Morpheus a friend, a brother even, having engaged in countless mischief together, much to their parents' dismay.In his memory, Morpheus was someone who smiled a lot, radiating warmth and brightness like the Southeast Aciatic sun when he did.However, from the moment Kaiden betrayed the country, Morpheus never smiled again, gradually growing distant from Christopher as well.It wasn't until that evening at the gates of the palace that Christopher felt like it had been a lifetime."I... I don't know him." Christopher forced a smile. "Where would I have met your boyfriend!"
Morpheus wasn't just an ordinary person!Christopher wholeheartedly accepted his defeat to Morpheus."Then... I'd like to invite you to come over to my place for a while as a friend. That's fine, right?"-A few days later, Persephone finally ran into Christopher, who had been missing in action for days, in the classroom."Hey, you finally showed up!" She dashed over, plopping down in the seat beside him and handing him breakfast. "You haven't eaten, right? Let's eat together!"Usually, Christopher would readily accept, but he waved his hands now. "No, no, no!""What's wrong?" Persephone widened her eyes. "This breakfast isn't poisoned!"Christopher awkwardly smiled. "You have a boyfriend, so maybe... we should keep some distance."Persephone burst into laughter. Then she remarked, "Strange... Morpheus was right!""Uh, what?""My boyfriend!" She chuckled. "He made this breakfast. I asked if he could also make a portion for you, and he said sure, just worried you wouldn't tak