The two of them drove to the seaside, where the night was lively with the scent of barbecues wafting through the air, along with the aroma of smoked food, snacks, and even fireworks being sold.Cecily linked her arm with Edwin's and said, "Wait for me," before running off. Edwin watched her and realized she had gone to buy some barbecue. He sighed, feeling somewhat exasperated, but he didn't move and stayed where he was.Cecily glanced at him and thought that he had been quite cooperative with her today, considering how Edwin had accommodated her in various ways. She found it both satisfying and unbelievable."Hey handsome, all alone? Want some company?" A beautiful woman in a beach dress approached Edwin and inquired.Edwin furrowed his brow and replied coldly, "Go away."The woman's expression stiffened for a moment, and she retorted, "Fine, don't play then. What's the use of being good-looking if you're nuts?" She then walked away.Cecily jogged back with several skewers of barbecu
Jenny watched Cecily's pale face and opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something but ultimately remained silent.Jenny had a classmate who was a doctor at the largest prestigious hospital in City A. He mentioned that a very important person had been hospitalized a few days ago, and the situation was not optimistic. Jenny had inquired further and was surprised to find that the person in question was Pamela, who had returned after disappearing for over a year. It seemed she had reconciled with her cousin Edwin, as Edwin had instructed that Pamela's medical records should be kept sealed. Jenny couldn't find out what illness Pamela had, but just finding this information was a challenge. She didn't know how to share this with Cecily.During dinner, Cecily seemed distracted. Jenny gave Sadie a meaningful look. "Cecily, is there anything fun to do around here? Jenny and I plan to stay for several days, so could you show us around?"Cecily nodded and tried not to dwell on her unhappine
It wasn't until the footsteps were completely gone that Cecily breathed a sigh of relief. She couldn't help but wonder who those people were. She had clearly seen the gun in that man's hand. It had been a terrifying experience.She reached out and pushed the man away, then quickly rearranged her own clothes. When she turned back to him, she was shocked to find that the man who had just forcefully kissed her had slumped down the wall and remained motionless.Cecily kicked his leg lightly, "Hey, what's wrong with you?"The man weakly closed his eyes and didn't respond. Cecily then noticed that his black shirt had a wet patch on it, but it wasn't from water. She glanced down at her own white blouse, which had a large red stain. Had he been injured by those men just now?However, she couldn't dwell on this thought for long. Calling the police seemed like the right thing to do, but what if those men returned before the police arrived?With her chin resting on her hand, Cecily paced back an
The man glanced at her and weakly nodded.Although Cecily didn't particularly like this man, she felt relieved when he nodded. "Alright, you wait here. I'll get Jenny to check on you. By the way, do you want something to eat? Well, you probably can't eat much, so I'll prepare something simple?" Cecily nodded to herself and then left.The man watched her talking to herself, feeling curious about this woman.On the second day, all three women were startled as they watched the man dressing himself, grooming, and looking almost completely normal, despite his slightly pale complexion. He had recovered so quickly! No one asked; the world was full of mysteries.By the third day, there were issues with Gavin on Sadie's side, and Jenny had to return to deal with a patient at the hospital. "Cecily, I'm really sorry. Next time, I'll make sure everything is settled before coming to visit you," Jenny said. "By the way, I've examined him, and there's nothing major. He just needs some rest. But he d
The flowers that Cecily and Edwin had bought a few days ago were all in bloom now. There were roses in three colors—red, white, and yellow—along with begonias. Cecily looked up at the sky. It had been more than half a month, and Edwin hadn't called once. What was he up to?After Hector had finished using her phone, Cecily checked the time and decided to give Edwin a call."I'm going to make a call. You can go rest inside," Cecily said to Hector, who had been standing there all along, rather impolitely.Hector blinked, squinting at her, and then tugged at her clothes. "What, are you going to have a secret conversation with your lover?""Nonsense!" Cecily felt like Hector was asking questions he already knew the answers to.Hector sneered, saying, "Boring," and then walked inside.Cecily dialed the number and waited. It took a while for the call to be picked up, and she was surprised to find herself nervous upon hearing his voice. Edwin's voice, which was usually devoid of emotion."Not
After being apart for nearly half a month, Cecily met Edwin again, but their reunion took an unexpected turn. She felt powerless, calling out his name several times, but Edwin seemed oblivious to her.Cecily looked up at him. He had his eyes open, lost in thought. A deep sense of coldness settled over her as she wondered what Edwin was thinking. Why was he unwilling to respond, even after what had happened between them? She called his name once more."Mm," Edwin finally responded, his voice cold, even after their passionate encounter.Cecily got up and wrapped herself in a thin sheet. She took a few steps but paused, saying, "When we have a child, let's get a divorce. You can go find…" She hesitated for a moment before uttering the name, "Pamela."Without waiting for Edwin's response or even looking at him, Cecily walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind her.With her hands covering her cheeks, Cecily sobbed softly, unable to contain the pain. She couldn't bear to push the
It was late at night, and Edwin was upstairs. Cecily didn't want to go up, so she fell asleep on the couch. However, she couldn't really sleep.She heard some faint noises coming from the staircase, and she knew it was Edwin, but she didn't bother to look. Edwin stood in front of her, looking down at her. Cecily also looked at him, unable to bear the brightness of his eyes. She stared back at him, and the two of them stared at each other without any emotions.After what felt like a long time, Edwin finally said, "Make me a sandwich; I'm hungry."Cecily had never seen anyone shameless like this. He was hungry, with no hint of guilt, as if nothing had happened. His genuine expression made it seem like if Cecily didn't make him a sandwich, she would be in the wrong.This was the difference between her and Edwin. Their inner worlds were not on the same level. Why could he command her so confidently after hurting her like this? She felt her temper rise and had no mood to cook for him.Ceci
After hugging for a while, Colin finally greeted Edwin, who responded with his usual stoic expression and a mere nod. Colin rolled his eyes, appearing indifferent to Edwin's presence. Cecily sighed in resignation; she had long become accustomed to his indifference.The three of them got into the car, and Cecily curiously asked, "Colin, how did you know we were returning today?" She hadn't seen Edwin make any calls to Colin, and she hadn't told anyone that she was returning today."I guessed," Colin said mysteriously. He wasn't going to tell Cecily that he constantly monitored her and Edwin's movements. When he heard the driver, Mark, was going to pick them up at the airport, he immediately dropped his work and came.Cecily just made a tsk sound when she realized he wouldn't tell her. She let it go; it was just a casual question anyway. She and Colin had always been close, so she felt relaxed around him. She didn't want to push him if he didn't want to talk.The driver, Mark, who had s
In the room, Archie thoroughly examined Cecily, gave her an injection, and then turned to Edwin. Despite his usual calm and composed demeanor, Archie understood that Edwin was genuinely concerned about the woman lying in bed. Otherwise, he would have relied on his family's personal physician and not sought Archie's help."She doesn't have any major issues, just a bad cold from getting chilled and being generally weak. She should recover with proper rest," Archie explained."Okay," Edwin replied, walking over to Cecily's side. She was already asleep, so he tucked her in and then joined Archie downstairs.Ralph and Teresa had been waiting anxiously, and when Archie explained the situation, they finally felt relieved."Let's talk outside," Edwin suggested as he walked out first.In the garden, the roses were in full bloom, displaying their vibrant colors, but both men were too preoccupied to appreciate them."It seems like you're really serious about this," Archie spoke calmly.Edwin nod
In Cecily's presence, Edwin experienced a feeling he had never felt before, not even with Pamela. Despite everything she had done wrong, he no longer felt any anger. It seemed like everything that had happened was in the past.At this moment, as he gently touched Cecily's cheek, he felt a sensation akin to breaking through ice, a rush of warmth flooding into his heart.In the past, he couldn't stand the woman who was constantly trying to marry him by any means possible. But now, at this very moment, he wanted to look at her, to see her properly, even if it was only for a moment.When he saw her with Terence, he felt uncomfortable and even angry. He wished Terence would never appear again. When he saw her getting close to Colin, it also made him uneasy. He didn't want them to be together.Back when he hadn't fallen in love with Cecily, he wouldn't have cared about who she was with, even after learning about Colin's feelings for her.That day, when he heard her talking to Mort, he becam
"Why? Did something happen to Cecily?" Archie's immediate reaction was concern for Cecily. "She's fine," Edwin replied, but his mind returned to the woman he had met earlier, the one who had called him a "reproductive animal." He had been somewhat irritated at the time, but now, he couldn't seem to muster any anger. In fact, he found himself thinking of her. "So why give her up? Why look for someone new?" Archie was growing drowsy, likely nearing bedtime, and his thoughts were muddled. "Just do as I say," Edwin replied without offering an explanation. "Are you ordering me?" Archie joked, trying to make light of the situation. He found it all quite incredulous, and his drowsiness had vanished. Edwin looked at him. "You can interpret it that way." Archie hesitated for a moment before he asked, "Are you in love with her, by any chance?" He couldn't believe it, but it was the only reason he could fathom for Edwin's change in plans. There was another long pause. The room became eeril
In the hospital, the bodyguard responsible for protecting Pamela spoke, "Sir, Miss Parker is already asleep." Edwin nodded and opened the door to her room.The spacious and luxurious hospital room was filled with advanced medical equipment and Pamela's favorite mimosa flowers. On the hospital bed, Pamela appeared very pale. Edwin approached quietly, and when he faced Pamela, he had an inexplicable urge to escape.Even though she was asleep, Pamela remained highly alert. But upon hearing the familiar footsteps, she didn't open her eyes."Pamela, you..." Edwin had just reached the bedside when Pamela practically jumped up and hung onto him. Edwin instinctively embraced her."Edwin, I missed you," Pamela coiled around Edwin's neck, nestling gently in his arms."I'm sorry; I've been busy lately," Edwin replied.Pamela nodded and said, "Can you stay with me tonight? I don't want you to leave."Edwin hesitated for a moment, then nodded. Pamela's pale face lit up with a big smile.Edwin gent
Everyone praised Cecily for the rose cake she had made. Colin even suspected it wasn't her work, but Dottie quickly vouched for her.Edwin remained silent but had eaten several pieces of the cake. Ralph and his wife each had a plate, Colin had a plate, and Edwin and Cecily shared a plate. When only one piece was left, Edwin reached for it. Cecily immediately pulled the plate closer to her and protected it, saying, "You've had so much; this last piece belongs to me." She then took a bite.Edwin froze, his hand still reaching out.Colin, on the other hand, first burst into laughter, but then he felt like crying. Edwin was shameless for taking his plate and eating his cake.Colin was still afraid to speak his mind, and he continued to glare at Edwin. Edwin completely ignored him.Ralph also enjoyed a rare hearty laugh. The atmosphere in the dining room was warm, and everyone appeared genuinely happy.After dinner, Edwin and Ralph had tea in the living room, with Colin listening in. Meanw
When Cecily woke up, it was already noon the next day. Her head was throbbing, and her body felt as though it had been run over by a bulldozer. She ached all over.Her memory was quite fragmented. She remembered being with Jenny and Sadie at Sadie's place, eating pizza and then drinking alcohol. After that, she seemed to get drunk, and she recalled seeing Edwin. She shook her head, vaguely recalling that she might have made Edwin angry.As she thought about the intense dreamlike encounter from last night, Cecily shivered. Edwin had been extremely passionate; it felt like he had wanted to overwhelm her. But wait, something wasn't right. This room was very familiar..."Oh!" she exclaimed, suddenly sitting up. Her whole body ached even more, and she realized that this was her and Edwin's bedroom. What in the world was happening?She knocked on her heavy head, trying to remember. She remembered Edwin asking repeatedly, "Do you dare?" And she had given in, saying, "I won't dare anymore." W
Sadie and Gavin were in a passionate embrace for quite some time downstairs, and Sadie, who usually had a poised and aloof demeanor, was now acting like a sweet and affectionate girlfriend. Cecily was taken aback by the scene. Was this the same woman she knew? It seemed that women in love, even the shrewd Sadie, became somewhat foolish.Once Sadie bid farewell to Gavin and saw Cecily's surprised expression, she felt a bit flustered. "Cecily, what are you doing here?" she asked.Cecily stood straight, pretending to be serious. "If I hadn't come early, how would I witness such a splendid display of affection?"Sadie's face turned red. "Cecily, you've become mischievous."Cecily rubbed her chin. "Oh, really? I wasn't aware." She couldn't help but notice Sadie's shy demeanor, which was quite cute compared to her usual self.Pretending to hit Cecily, Sadie said, "You're being naughty."Cecily skillfully evaded the playful hit, and the two friends engaged in some banter as they made their w
Listening to the conversation between the two men, Mort shook his head in helplessness. He wondered if Cecily had offended someone to make Edwin treat her this way."Why are you so late?" Edwin changed the subject, avoiding further discussion of Cecily."During this time, someone was tracking me. Be careful too. Nathan Parker is making significant moves, and Terence Harris is back in City A," Simon's demeanor shifted from the earlier light-heartedness to a more serious tone.Edwin paused, thinking of Terence and that night when Terence had smirked at him outside his own home. A cold smile crossed his face. "I'd like to see what they're planning this time."Simon raised an eyebrow lazily and said, "Maybe Nathan is here for Pamela? After all, he despises the Parker family so much."Edwin looked at him and said, "Then it depends on whether he's capable of it."Simon smiled and met Edwin's gaze. "Nathan's grudge against the Parkers is over a minor matter, Edwin. You shouldn't do anything
Cecily remained silent, turning her cheek away. Edwin took another step closer, and their bodies were almost touching. Cecily frowned as her waist pressed against the railing, causing her discomfort. She extended her hand to push Edwin away, but he remained unyielding.Edwin pinched her chin and asked, "Colin? Or is it Terence?"Cecily responded, "Why do you care who I give it to?" Annoying Edwin, her chin throbbed in pain, and he showed no sign of being considerate."Oh, I can stop caring," Edwin said, releasing her chin. To Cecily's surprise, he continued, "Once we're divorced, I won't be able to care about you anymore. But for now..." Cecily's eyes widened suddenly as Edwin's hand moved to her chest. In a husky tone, he continued, "We're not divorced yet, and marital relations are still necessary. I think the balcony is a suitable place, don't you?"Cecily involuntarily glanced downward. She realized that everyone in the yard could see her and Edwin as well."What do you want?" She