Toward the end of her sentence, Serenity’s smile faded. She said, “Hank and Jessica’s case is a good example. Of course, Jessica isn’t to blame completely. Much of the blame rests with Hank.”Karma had hit Jessica now.However, it had yet to hit Hank.Zachary showed a pathetic look and said, “Honey, I don’t care. I belong to you. You need to protect me. Don’t allow anyone to take advantage of me.”“Alright, I’ll protect you. I’ll keep you company at any social function you attend. I’ll announce my ownership of you to everyone. Zachary fully belongs to Serenity. If anyone has the audacity to snatch my man, I’ll beat them up.”“Honey, why do you sound as though you’re comforting a child?”“How should I say it then?”Zachary stopped speaking.Serenity kissed him on the cheek. After that, she hugged him with her upper body lying on his chest. With a soft voice, she said, “Babe, don’t be angry. I’ll walk the talk. I’ll keep you company at every social function to prevent others from
At least, this was Serenity’s innermost feeling.It was better than all other poetic phrases that she copied from elsewhere.There was a message at the back of the paper.He turned it over.[I’m jogging outside. Let’s have breakfast together later.]Zachary folded the letter joyfully and put it back into the envelope. After that, he slid open the drawer and placed the love letter inside.He got up and walked toward the window. Once he pulled open the thick and heavy curtains, the sunlight shone in.The morning sun in summer was dazzling. Once the hot summer was over, the cool fall would come, which was also time for Zachary and Serenity’s wedding.Zachary was more eager for the arrival of the baby that belonged to him and Serenity.The psychic told the couple decidedly that their baby would come in the fall. No matter how much the two of them loved each other, the baby would not come until it was fall season.Ben from FC & Co. now had a son and a daughter, which made Zachar
Without much hesitation, Serenity answered, “Okay. Liberty goes to the hospital to look after Mr. Lewis whenever she’s free. Mrs. Lewis was the one who begged her to do so.”Zachary was not surprised. Considering Duncan’s current condition, Mrs. Lewis deeply regretted her actions. She would not even mind kneeling down to beg Liberty as long as Duncan could recover.“Is Duncan willing to meet Liberty?” Zachary asked concernedly.“I didn’t ask Liberty. But she’s insistent on looking after Duncan. She must have a way to get into the ward.”She would sneak in, by hook or by crook. Sure enough, Serenity and Liberty were sisters. Serenity knew her sister very well.Zachary replied, “I hope Duncan doesn’t overthink things and gets well soon.”Comparing Duncan’s previous and current states, Zachary could identify with Duncan. If it were Zachary, he would have difficulty regaining confidence as well.“He’ll recover.”Serenity said to him, “Let’s jog two more rounds. After Sonny wakes
Sonny blinked, but he did not know how to express his discomfort. “He’s usually very loud, but he’s groggy today. He must be unwell. Bring the thermometer over and measure his temperature, Seren.”Serenity had already brought the thermometer without Zachary telling her and took Sonny’s temperature. A few minutes later, Zachary took the thermometer from Sonny’s armpit and handed it to Serenity. She held it up to look at it. She said, “100.9 degrees Fahrenheit. He has a fever. His temperature didn’t feel hot when I touched his forehead, but the number on the thermometer is so high. I’ll head upstairs to change my clothes. Let’s bring him to the hospital now.“I’ll call his instructor to request a leave of absence too.”Serenity took out her phone and called the self-defense instructor from the gym to request a day off on Sonny’s behalf as she spoke. Zachary said, “Don’t panic. Let’s try lowering his temperature first, then call the family doctor to check on him.”“That works
The family doctor said, “Missus, I’ll prescribe some medication for the child just in case. If his temperature can be lowered through physical means, he doesn’t have to take any medicine first. If his temperature can’t go down to normal and the fever persists above 101.3 degrees, feed him some medicine. I’ll come over again tomorrow.”“Don’t we have to give him medicine now?” Serenity asked. Zachary said, “Let’s avoid feeding him medicine if his condition doesn’t require it. Every medicine has some side effects.”If one kept taking medication or getting an IV drip for minor issues, it would be troublesome in the future once there was drug resistance. Serenity knew to avoid taking medicine as much as possible, but she and her sister always panicked and were extremely nervous whenever Sonny was unwell. They desperately wanted the child to get well immediately. Therefore, the first thing they did every time was to bring him to the doctor, put him on an IV drip, and take medicine.
Duncan looked at the insulated lunch box. He could not reach it after she moved it to the edge because of his injured legs. He was that useless. Everyone had been encouraging him to focus on recuperating. The doctor said the chances of recovery were high, but it was not a hundred percent. Who knew if he could make full recovery?If he could not, then he would merely be like just now, a person who could not even sweep a lunch box to the floor. It was as if the lunch box had a mouth and was laughing at him. He could not stand the sight of the lunch box, yet he could not get rid of it. Duncan was about to fly into a rage when Liberty’s phone rang. He saw her picking up the phone and heard her say, “Seren.” He knew it was a call from Serenity.Liberty did not pay attention to Duncan while she was on the phone call. Only then did he dare to remove his icy mask of disguise and drink the sight of her with his eyes greedily. He was desperate to be with the person he liked for twent
Duncan felt bad for Liberty, but he still did not want to be a burden to her. He said icily, “I said I’d give you six hundred thousand dollars. It’s double what my mom offered you. Leave now. Immediately. Right at this second. Leave!”“Mr. Lewis, I won’t take the six hundred thousand dollars. Mrs. Lewis hiring me is a long-term job, but you’re offering me a one-off amount. I’ll suffer a huge loss. However, if you were to give me six hundred grand for no specific reason each month, I won’t feel comfortable accepting the money. I prefer earning money by working. It makes me feel at ease when I spend it too.”Duncan was speechless. “Long-term? Are you planning to do this for your entire life?”“With your current attitude, I think it’s largely possible.”Duncan said, “I’ll get better. I’ll definitely recover.”Liberty laughed. “That’ll depend on whether you’ll cooperate with the treatment. If you keep this up, I’ll suspect your ability to stand up again. If you end up wheelchair-bound
“Liberty!” Duncan called from inside the ward. “I’ll go in and have a look, Mrs. Lewis.”Liberty withdrew her hand lightly and turned to return to the ward. Mrs. Lewis did not follow her in. As long as Liberty was present and did not call for their help, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis knew not to enter and leave them alone. Their son’s attitude was terrible, and he had not restrained his temper yet. However, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis knew their son wanted Liberty to stay and care for him. Mrs. Lewis returned to sit beside her husband. She sighed and said, “I was too stubborn back then. I’ll learn from Tania from now on.”Derek told his wife, “I’ve advised you many times, but you wouldn’t listen. Our son isn’t young anymore. Other people his age already have children in middle school, but he doesn’t even have a girlfriend. Since he finally has someone he likes, who cares how many times she has gotten divorced? It’s fine as long as our son likes her.“You didn’t heed my advice at all. Now, we
Liberty’s old neighbors even told her how terrible life had been for the Brown family for the past two years. A lady who used to be close to Liberty and Serenity pulled Liberty’s hand. She said, “The Brown family is unfortunate. Your living a better life than them is the best revenge.”Liberty smiled. “I don’t want to get revenge. I just want to live my own life. Whether they’re doing well or not doesn’t concern me.”“Of course. You’re kind and generous. There’s no need to stoop down to their level.”The lady caressed Sonny’s face. “Sonny has grown so much. He’s in preschool now, right? Getting more handsome as he grows. He looks just like you, Liberty.”“Hello,” Sonny greeted the lady. She smiled. “What a good boy.”Sonny had always been an obedient child as she recalled. The residents loved to tease the boy whenever Liberty or Serenity brought him out to play. What was the Brown family thinking? How could they not love such an adorable kid?Mr. and Mrs. Brown would rather
Sonny nodded. “I know, Mom. I’ll tell Dad to hide the box so Aunt Chel can’t find it. Why does Aunt Chel like taking stuff from Dad’s house?“Lucas used to take my toys too. I even cried. Grandmom said Lucas would return my toy after some time, but he never did.”Although Sonny was only two years old two years ago, he still remembered how his grandmom sided with Lucas. “About Chelsea… That’s something for the adults to think about. You’re still young. Don’t pay any mind to it.”Chelsea’s parents were to blame for her selfish behavior and habit of leeching off her family. Hank also played a part by allowing his parents to spoil his sister. Even he helped her out a lot in the past. Whenever Chelsea visited, he would get Liberty to prepare whatever dishes Chelsea wanted to eat, no matter how expensive they were. He also specifically asked for large portions to be made so that Chelsea could have her fill. Chelsea loved seafood. Her favorites were pricey ones like lobsters and crab
“Dunc picked me up. He’ll take me to Dad’s place afterward.“Are you feeling unwell, Mom?”Sonny got up and touched Liberty’s forehead, then his own. He even stuck their foreheads together. His mother and Aunt Ser always did the same thing whenever he felt sick. He simply copied what they did.“I’m fine.”Liberty could not tell Sonny that her waist and legs were sore. Instead, she glared at Duncan, who was sitting at the bedside. It was all his fault. He was insatiable. Duncan smiled apologetically. He could not help but indulge himself once he got a taste of pleasure after being single for so long. Liberty was the victim of his hunger. “Then why did you wake up this late? It’s already eleven. I wanted to wake you up, but Dunc didn’t let me. He said you were tired and that I should let you rest,” said Sonny.Liberty lied. “I was on an extended business trip and worked night and day. The things I had to do were endless. I’m too tired. Now that I’m finally on vacatio
Liberty smiled. “Not yet. Maybe you can continue sleeping in the car until the sun rises.“We’re home. Let’s get out of the car. Even if you’re sleepy, you should still take a bath first. The year is ending in a few days. The weather isn’t that cold now. I checked the weather forecast. It says it’ll rain a little on New Year’s Day, so the temperature might drop slightly.”Duncan sat up and touched his forehead. Indeed, there was some sweat. “It really isn’t cold. I’m even sweating.”Liberty did not turn on the car’s air conditioning. In that weather, it would be cold if the air conditioning was turned on and hot if it was turned off. Thanks to the wind, it was still cooling when the car was moving. However, once the car stopped, it became stuffy inside. Liberty got out of the car and went to the passenger seat to help Duncan. Duncan declined her help and insisted on doing it himself. Then, he held her hand and walked into the house slowly. After heading upstairs, he belatedl
Liberty did have a fatty liver back then. However, that was resolved after she lost weight. Indeed, having an unhealthy weight could bring about health issues. Purchasing plus-sized clothes was also a problem. Once she started maintaining a healthy weight, she looked fantastic in whatever she wore and often received compliments for having a great figure when shopping for clothes. Most people marveled at her healthy and youthful complexion. She did not look like she was already in her thirties with a four-year-old son. “Do you want to take a nap? There’s heavy traffic ahead.”Liberty saw a stretch of road highlighted in red on the navigation app, signaling slow traffic. “Aren’t most people on holiday and traveling? Why is the traffic still congested?”Duncan muttered, “Maybe there was a car accident.“I don’t need a nap. I’m energetic now. I won’t be able to fall asleep.”He was extremely excited. “If you think I’m too talkative, you can play some music. We can liste
Since Audrey would take care of Sonny, Liberty and Duncan were in a good mood as they exited the Stones’ residence. Duncan’s bodyguards were to return home instead of following him around. He had Liberty anyway. Besides, it was his and Liberty’s wedding night. They even left Sonny with the Stones, so there was no way he would be letting his bodyguards follow him home. Liberty was the one who drove as Duncan’s legs were still recovering. She would glance at him from time to time. She said, “You’ve been staring at me the entire night. Haven’t you seen enough?“It’s not our first time meeting each other. What’s there to look at?”“You’re beautiful. You’re the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen.”Duncan was particularly generous with sweet words that night. To him, his wife was the most beautiful woman in the world. “I can’t get enough of watching you. I controlled myself in Aunt Audrey’s house because I didn’t want her to laugh at me. Now that there’s only the two of us,
Sonny asked Liberty, “Mom, is it okay? I want to stay at Grandaunt’s house for one night. Tomorrow, you can come pick me up and take me to Dad’s house.”After receiving a call from her former mother-in-law, Liberty had already asked Sonny after he woke up that morning if he wanted to stay with the Brown family for a couple of days, to spend time with his grandparents. Tomorrow, she would take him to the Browns.Liberty smiled, “You can stay the night if you want. Tomorrow, I’ll come pick you up and take you to your dad’s house for lunch.”She planned to call Hank soon and let him know that she was not taking Sonny there early in the morning, so the Browns would not have to get up early to wait.Sonny jumped up happily and said to Audrey, “Grandaunt Audrey, my mom agreed! I’m going to stay here tonight and play with Elias."With that, he rushed upstairs. Elias was getting cuter. When he talked to him, the baby would respond with cooing sounds, which was really fun.“Aunt Audrey, I
After a long while, Jessica finally asked, “You have swollen eyes because Liberty is getting remarried? You’ve lost your chance to remarry her.”“Jessica, I’ve never thought about remarrying Liberty. That’s impossible. I’ll wait for you to be released. No matter how many years it takes, I will wait for you,” Hank quickly explained. “It’s true that I’m upset that Liberty is remarried, but it’s mainly because of my son.“In the future, Sonny will call someone else ‘Dad’, and I’m not around him often. I’m afraid that one day, he’ll only end up closer to his other dad and not me, his biological father.”Jessica quietly looked at him for a moment before coldly replied, “If you have time, you should spend more time with Sonny. Even a biological father and son need to nurture their relationship.”“Who did Liberty marry?” Jessica asked. “Is it Duncan Lewis?”“Who else could it be? It’s Duncan. He kept Liberty close, never letting anyone else near her. Whenever any other man got close to L
Why was he crying? He knew the reason deep down but could not bring himself to say it out loud. Instead, he simply slumped over the steering wheel and cried his heart out. After he was done crying, he finally started the car and left the city hall, heading to the prison to visit Jessica.When Jessica saw him, she noticed his eyes were red and swollen. Thinking something bad had happened in his family, she immediately grabbed the phone and asked, “Hank, why are you crying? Your eyes are all swollen. Did something happen to your parents?”She still harbored hatred toward Olivia and Chelsea, hoping something would happen to that mother-daughter pair. Ideally, she wanted the old woman to face judgment in hell.Back when she stabbed Hank and Chelsea came to the rescue, Jessica felt she should have made sure to stab Chelsea to death. It was because of Chelsea’s incitement that she and Hank ended up like this. The two women had torn apart Hank and Liberty’s marriage, and now that Liberty’s