Duncan said, “It was a last-minute decision, so Sonny doesn’t know. His friend was visiting. He’s having so much fun that he forgets that I exist. There’s no way he’ll care about where I go.”Liberty smiled. “He doesn’t even miss me that much, let alone you.”“Sonny is close to Serenity. That’s why you can leave so easily.”“You’re right. Seren has been helping me take care of Sonny since he was born. She was the one who cared for me and Sonny during my postpartum. Sonny’s father had to work. He only took a few days' leave when I gave birth in the hospital. As for my former in-laws, they disappeared after visiting Sonny in the hospital. “They were even urging me to try for a second baby before my divorce. It was lucky that I got a divorce. Otherwise, my whole life would’ve been ruined by that family.”Liberty pushed Duncan into the elevator. When they reached the third floor, she picked a private room and helped Duncan to sit on a chair. She asked, “What do you want to eat?”“
On the day Liberty left Wiltspoon, Duncan did not follow her to the airport because he was angry at her. He also did not answer her calls or reply to her messages and made her go to Jensburg worried. On the contrary, Liberty was still thinking about Duncan in Jensburg. She even asked Zachary and Serenity to take Sonny to Duncan’s house and console him to help him regain his confidence. Upon thinking of that day’s incident, Duncan’s face flushed. “I’m not angry.”Liberty poured some coffee for him. “Don’t ever have those thoughts again. If I’m tired of you dragging me down, I would’ve distanced myself from you long ago. Why would I get closer to you and have more trust in you?”She had rejected Duncan firmly the last time he confessed to her. Their love was not explosive or intense. Instead, it had built up gradually through their daily interactions and mutual support, and their hearts grew closer. Duncan no longer expressed his love openly, and Liberty did not talk about ac
Duncan turned to look at her and said, “What do you take me for? I’ve even slept on a bench in a park before. Those were my rebellious days.”Liberty knew Duncan was rebellious during his teenage days. He would do all sorts of things with his friends. His turning point came when his grandmother died of sickness. After that, he turned over a new leaf and worked hard to establish Lewis & Co.More than ten years had passed since then. Duncan rarely mentioned his past to Liberty because it reminded him of his grandmother. He was the apple of his grandmother’s eye. He was also the youngest among his brothers, the one whom most people adored most.Sonny used to be afraid of the scar on Duncan’s face. Duncan thought of removing the scar through treatments but decided against it in the end. He mentioned that the scar would serve as a reminder that his disobedience had caused his grandmother to fall ill and pass away. He felt guilty. “I’m not picky about accommodations. Besides, a room
Duncan held Liberty’s hand with a burning gaze. He fell deeper in love with her as he noted her healthy glow and confidence. “Liberty.”Duncan said with a husky voice. His head got closer to hers, and he asked, “I… I want to kiss you. May I?”Liberty was quiet, but her face turned red. She was not a young girl anymore. She had gone through a marriage, divorce, and childbirth. However, she could not stop herself from blushing upon hearing his question. She looked shy, which made her even more irresistible to Duncan. Despite having loved her for quite some time, he had only ever held her hand. They did not do anything beyond that.“Are you okay, Liberty?”Duncan turned her head and forced her to face him. Their gazes met, and she could feel his hot breath as he approached her. Her shyness encouraged Duncan. Since he did not get her answer, he brushed her lips with his lightly. When he saw her closing her eyes, he hugged her tightly and deepened the kiss. The kissing gradu
Duncan did not say anything about being a useless person, so as not to make Liberty worry and start with a bunch of encouraging words.Liberty cleaned the electric kettle provided by the hotel and boiled water for him. She then cleaned the cup, picked up a small packet of rose green tea, brewed a cup of tea for him, and then brought it over. The teacup was placed on the bedside table, and she said to him, “The water is very hot now, wait a moment before drinking.”Ring, ring, ring…Liberty’s phone rang.She took out her phone to check the caller ID and said to Duncan, “It’s Seren.”Liberty quickly answered the call, worried that something might have happened to her sister.“Seren, what’s wrong?”“Mom.”The phone conveyed Sonny’s tender voice.“Sonny, oh, Sonny finally remembers to call Mom.”Liberty smiled teasingly at her son.Sonny pouted, sounding quite aggrieved, and called “Mom” again.Hearing the hint of grievance in her son’s tone, Liberty asked with concern, “What’s
“This Friday, as soon as you finish school, Dunc will bring you here, and then we’ll go back on Sunday afternoon, okay?”Duncan promised the little one.This way, he would have a legitimate reason to fly over to accompany Liberty on Fridays.“Really? Dunc won’t lie to me?”“I’ve told you, Dunc doesn’t lie to children. Dunc is very honest. Don’t you think Dunc is very honest?”After thinking for a moment, Sonny felt that Duncan was usually very honest and said, “I believe Dunc. Will my mom agree to us coming over? Will we disturb my mom’s work?”Aunt Ser said Mom had been very busy lately.Sonny knew that his mother was working so hard for him. She said she wanted to earn a lot of money so he could have a good life.Sonny felt that his life was already good enough.He did not want his mother to work so hard. However, Liberty insisted on going to work and making money. He felt he was a sensible child and should support his mother.“No, we’ll come over on the weekend, and your
Sonny was utterly disappointed.He could not let his friend get punished just so he wanted to keep him around, right?Upon hearing Laurence’s words, Serenity curiously asked, “Can you understand medical books? Can you copy them?”Laurence was about the same age as Sonny. At this age, Sonny could only write basic numbers and words.The sisters believed that during the early childhood stage, the main focus should be on ensuring that the child eats well, drinks well, and enjoys a carefree childhood. They did not want to impose too much learning pressure on the child.Hence, Sonny’s time in preschool was relaxed and happy.Even so, there was a period when he did not want to go to preschool, waking up every day with a flat mouth saying he did not want to go.The novelty had worn off.“I can’t understand it. My mentor will teach me to memorize medical books, and I can memorize them, but I don’t know what they mean. I can’t copy them, but I have to, otherwise, when he makes delicious
Corey was thinking that if her son was willing to be Sonny’s stepfather, at least Duncan’s small family would have a child. Maybe because of Sonny, Liberty might even have another one in the future.Sonny always wanted a little sister.Everyone assumed that the baby in Serenity’s belly was a boy.Sonny, wanting a little sister, would pester his mother to give birth to one. This way, Duncan could have his biological child, even if it was a girl. Corey would be pleased as long as it was Duncan’s flesh and blood.Of course, Corey did not dare to reveal any of these thoughts.The car accident that Duncan had experienced had softened his parents’ rigid views.“I’ll head back now. Whenever you’re free, come over. Sonny should come over often.”Serenity insisted on taking the two children home. Corey gave her some nutritional supplements and asked her to take them to replenish her body.“Mrs. Lewis, look at my waist, it’s getting thicker. If I keep taking these, I’ll end up with a bar
Hank pulled Sonny’s luggage over. Luke and Olivia had many bags in their hands too. They were presents they had prepared for Sonny and Liberty. Although the stuff they prepared was not as expensive as the supplements Sonny had brought back, it still contained their sincerity. “Liberty,” Hank called and handed the luggage over. “Sonny’s belongings are all inside. He can’t take that many toys, so there’s some left at my place. He said he can play them the next time he comes.“We bought him a few sets of clothes. They can’t fit into the luggage, so we put them in bags.”After speaking, Hank took the bags from his parents’ hands.Aside from the clothes and toys they had bought for Sonny, the rest were presents for Liberty. “My parents prepared some snacks for you. You can have them while celebrating the new year. It’s nothing expensive, just a token of our sincerity.“Although we aren’t husband and wife anymore, we’re still Sonny’s parents. We can still be friends or relative
Liberty and Duncan had only gotten their marriage license for a few days. They were newlyweds. Even with Liberty by his side, Duncan still wanted to have video calls with Sonny several times a day. He missed Sonny more than she did. He would worry about whether Sonny was eating and sleeping well at the Browns’ place.He also worried whether Chelsea’s son would bully Sonny.While Sonny had learned martial arts, he was not exactly skilled yet. Besides, he was taught well and would not fight under normal circumstances. Therefore, Duncan was worried that Sonny would be at a disadvantage. Liberty thought Duncan was acting more like Sonny’s biological father than Hank. “Sonny’s here,” said Duncan. He got up and walked toward Sonny, leaving his wheelchair behind. He could walk short distances. Liberty was anxious that he might fall. She quickly left her neighbors behind and followed him. She reminded him, “Walk slowly. Be careful.”They did not have their bodyguards with them
“Dunc is nice, Dad. He treats me well. He’s not a bad guy.”Sonny tried his best to clear Hank’s misunderstanding toward Dunc.Hank felt bitter, but he kept a smile on his face. He replied, “Mm. Duncan isn’t a bad person. He treats you and your mom well. I feel at ease knowing you and your mom are living with him.”No matter how jealous he was, he had to admit that Duncan had dedicated his heart and energy to Liberty and Sonny. Duncan was better than him, Sonny’s biological dad. Liberty had made a great choice marrying Duncan.Although Duncan was still in a wheelchair, he would eventually recover. Once he recovered, he could take on any challenge and be the pillar Liberty and Sonny needed. “Sonny, Sonny,” Olivia called out from the living area. Hank told Sonny, “Your grandmom is calling you. Go out and have a look.”Sonny hummed in agreement and left the room. “Grandmom.”Hank smiled when he heard Sonny saying that. He liked being with his son and parents. He truly
“I packed and checked everything, Dad. Nothing is missing,” said Sonny. He did not know that Hank was stalling. Hank did not want to take Sonny downstairs that quickly. “It’s okay even if I leave something behind. I’ll still come over to visit in the future, Dad. Didn’t you say this will always be my home?”Sonny thought he could simply take anything he left behind the next time he came. There was no need to ensure everything was packed.Wherever his mom and dad were would always be his home. Hank replied softly, “Yes. This is always your home. The doors will be open for you for as long as I’m here.“Go watch the TV with your grandparents first, Sonny. I’ll finish packing up soon. Your grandparents bought snacks for you. Remember to bring them with you.”Sonny did not lack anything when he lived with Duncan and Liberty. However, the things his grandparents bought for him held their sincerity. Hank hoped his son could get along with his parents and forget the fact that the
Dylan took a flight back to Wiltspoon on that day. It was the day when Liberty and Duncan went to pick Sonny up from the Brown family’s place. Sonny was only visiting for two days, yet Duncan had mentioned him almost every moment. He even had to be on a video call with Sonny every few hours. For the video calls to happen, Duncan even became shameless and connected with Hank on social media. It was so that he could call Sonny conveniently. Not only that, he even uploaded many lovey-dovey pictures of him and Liberty to make Hank see them and get jealous. Meanwhile, in the Brown family’s house, Hank was packing Sonny’s clothes. He slowly folded his son's clothes to stall for time. Duncan could wait downstairs, who had insisted on coming along with Liberty to pick Sonny up but did not want to head upstairs. Therefore, he had been waiting downstairs. Liberty did not want to enter the Browns’ house either. She waited downstairs and chatted with her old neighbors. Through them
After a moment of silence, Imogen said, “I didn’t know either. If Dylan didn’t mention anything, I wouldn’t have known about this.“I met and talked to Old Mrs. York when I visited the Yorks with my teacher. She’s a nice old lady. It was a pleasure talking to her and not stressful at all. I wouldn’t have guessed that she was that formidable just by looking at her.“As expected of someone whom the Buchams respect. Even my teacher was humble before her and dared not be arrogant. He said Old Mrs. York used to be a badass when she was young. She has contributed greatly to the York family’s achievements.“Her capability is also evident through the eight grandsons she had raised with her deceased husband.”Leticia said, “Doesn’t the York family have nine young masters?”“Rowan York is the youngest. He was mainly educated by his parents as well as his elder brothers and cousins. Although Old Mrs. York did give him some guidance, we can’t say that he was raised by Old Mr. and Mrs. York.”
Dylan suspected that Imogen was Fox. If they were indeed the same person, then it was true that he had only ever pursued Imogen.“Was he okay after standing outside for more than half an hour?” Winston asked.Leticia chimed in, “Jen had Wendy make him a bowl of hot soup. Knowing that the boy doesn’t like spicy food, I made sure she added plenty of spice. It was definitely spicy. Wendy said Jen made sure he finished it before leaving.”Imogen had made Dylan drink such spicy soup, but he was still willing to drink it for her. He was clearly doing this out of consideration for Imogen, not wanting to make things too awkward between their families.“Lucky for him,” Winston muttered.Imogen was speechless.“Why did he come looking for you, Jen?” Winston asked in concern. “Was he here to ask to reconcile? If that’s the case, you mustn’t agree too easily. He has to pursue you again, and for at least two years, before you even think about agreeing to be with him. He needs to know how to
After deciding to go home and plead with his grandmother, Dylan did not stay much longer at the Doyle household. However, he still pinched his nose and finished the bowl of soup after Imogen persuaded him to.She personally saw him off at the gate.“Mr. York, remember to see a doctor when you get back. Take some medicine for a few days, don’t be careless,” Imogen said, following him out mainly to remind him to get treated once he got home, so he would not end up with a serious illness.People who were usually very healthy tended to get very sick when they did fall ill.“My health is my responsibility. If I don’t feel well, I’ll definitely go see a doctor. Don’t worry about me, Ms. Doyle. Even if I fall sick because of what happened today, it’s my fault. I won’t blame you or your family,” Dylan said, thinking Imogen was concerned he might blame her father.He could not bring himself to hope for anything beyond that.Imogen smiled. “Please send my regards to Grandma May and Serenit
“Mr. York, are you really not going to give up? Are you going to keep chasing after her? What is it about her that I lack?”Imogen really wanted to know why Dylan could not fall for her when she interacted with him as her true self but instead, he fell head over heels in love with her when she wore a different identity.“Ms. Doyle, you’re a great person, really—you’re wonderful. It’s just that I’m not worthy of you,” Dylan replied sincerely. “There’s nothing about you that’s inferior to Fox. I don’t even know why I fell for her. Maybe it’s because I kept having the same dream of her over and over.“Before I approached you, I had already dreamt of Fox many times, and then I actually met her in real life. I guess, if you had to ask why I fell for Fox and not for you, I can only say it was because I had already fallen for her in my dream. When the dream became a reality, it felt natural.”Imogen was silent.“Actually, I only met the real Fox after I started getting closer to you. I k