Shirley placed her hand on her belly, her face filled with a peaceful smile.After thinking for a moment, Shirley said, "But my mom..."Before Shirley could finish her sentence, Anna sitting next to them immediately spoke up, "I've been out for two days, it's time for me to go back. I didn't even take time off from work at home! Don't worry about me, I'm still young and capable of taking care of myself! And our cats and dogs at home, no one's there to look after them. You go ahead with Keith, I'll be fine."Keith also heard Anna's words and became even more satisfied with his mother-in-law."Since there are matters that can't be put off at home, I'll arrange for someone to send Mom back." Keith said, "The wedding is the day after tomorrow, we'll depart tomorrow, a day in advance."Seeing her mom really eager to go back, Shirley could only nod and say into the phone, "Alright then, we'll be back later in the evening. I'll bring some things for Mom.""Great. Give me a call when you're h
The next day, just as the sun was rising, Shirley got up to help Anna pack her things.A car was already waiting at the door.Keith not only arranged a car for Anna, but also brought a small truck to carry all the appliances and clothes that Shirley had bought for Anna.Shirley stood at the door, tears welling up in her eyes, and said, "Mom, I'll come to see you in a few days!""Take good care of yourself and don't bother coming to see me! I'll come to see you when the baby is born!" Anna waved at Shirley continuously. "Shirley, take care of yourself! Have a good life with Keith!""I know, Mom!" Shirley choked back tears. "Remember to call me when you get home!""I know, I know! Now go!" Anna waved goodbye.Keith stood by Shirley's side, smiling as he watched Anna leave.Shirley didn't stop watching until the convoy was out of sight.Keith gently wrapped his arm around Shirley's shoulder and said, "Well, T City isn't far from your hometown. We can go back often."Sniffling, Shirley re
Evan looked at Keith sympathetically and patted his shoulder, "I'm sorry, I didn't know she would come. I didn't expect Hannah to send her a separate invitation, and I never thought Hannah knew her..."Hannah is Evan's newlywed wife, a regular music teacher at a college.Keith quickly adjusted his posture, but he couldn't conceal his emotions in his eyes."If you still haven't forgotten about her..." Evan hesitated for a moment and said, "Lillian has changed a lot during this time, and what happened back then...""The past is the past, and we can't go back," Keith interrupted Evan's words with a firm tone. "I am married now, and about to become a father. Let's not bring up everything from the past!""Alright, whatever decision you make, I'll support you," Evan patted Keith's shoulder and said. "Regarding this matter, do you plan to explain it to your wife?""It's not necessary," Keith bluntly replied. "It didn't really mean anything."Shirley was being attentively taken care of and wa
Tina also stared blankly at the woman, who stood in front of Stanford, Keith, and Evan.When did a stranger join the three of them?Or perhaps, they were already familiar?"Lillian..." Evan furrowed his brows slightly. He couldn't understand why Lillian would appear voluntarily.She had left without a word back then, hurting so many hearts.Now she suddenly appeared, what did she want?Stanford seemed to welcome Lillian's arrival more than Evan did. As soon as he saw her, he smiled and said, "Lillian, you're here."Lillian lightly murmured a response, her soft and gentle gaze fixated on Keith, never looking away."Keith, I'm back," Lillian spoke gently.Keith looked at the woman standing before him, his heart filled with mixed emotions.Stanford pulled Evan by the hand, making space for Keith and Lillian.Evan instinctively looked towards Shirley's direction.Sure enough, Shirley's gaze was also on Keith and Lillian.Deep inside, Evan sighed, "Keith, there's nothing I can do to help y
On the other side, the two people who were embracing had already separated."I'm sorry, it's all my fault," Lillian said softly. "Keith, I won't make things difficult for you. Even if we can't be together anymore, we're still friends, right?"Keith nodded stiffly.Lillian sighed softly. "It's alright. A person shouldn't be too greedy. I already had your first love, how could I be greedy enough to have your rest of life? I'm already happy that we met here today, Keith. For the sake of our shared childhood, please don't push me away. Let me be by your side as a friend and silently watch you be happy, okay? I know this request is a bit selfish, but after all, you are the only man I've loved in this lifetime. I don't ask for eternity, just your safety and well-being."Facing Lillian's tears, Keith's heart couldn't stay tough anymore.Lillian's pleading eyes struck at Keith's heavily fortified heart.He couldn't remain indifferent anymore.Keith could only nod gently and replied, "Then let
Forcing a Smile Shirley hurriedly wiped away the tears on her face, pretending as if nothing had happened, and forced a smile. "Oh really? I had no idea...""Yeah, my grandfather is the commander of the City F," Rupert explained briefly.Shirley suddenly realized! No wonder... They would certainly notify the Davis Family of Evan's wedding, it would be strange if Rupert didn't show up."My family is in City N, not far from City F," Rupert continued explaining. "But our family's business focus is in City F."Shirley nodded absentmindedly, she had no interest in Rupert's matters."What's wrong? Why do you look so pale? Did you not bring a doctor with you? Should I call a doctor for you? If there's anything you need while you're here, don't hesitate to tell me. If I can help, it's no problem," Rupert asked concernedly.Shirley shook her head. "It's nothing, I'm just... adjusting to the new environment, I guess? It's okay."Shirley quickly found an excuse to divert the topic."I heard Mr.
Keith gave a smirk, purposely placing his hand on Lillian's shoulder and casually saying, "Yeah, Evan's last night of being single. How can we, as his best friends, not attend? My wife needs to take it easy, so Miss Tina, I'm counting on you to take care of her! Stanford, tonight we're going all out!"Lillian was surprised that Keith would publicly get close to her in front of so many people, and her eyes lit up with delight. Her expression became even more gentle."Sure, tonight we're going all out," Lillian spoke up. "Keith, I even brought your favorite drink from overseas, so don't expect me to go easy on the pouring."Shirley, watching their interaction, felt a heavy heart sinking into the abyss.Rupert, witnessing the scene, blinked his amber eyes but didn't say anything. As one of the special guests tonight, Rupert wasn't particularly close with Evan. Or rather, he didn't have much to do with the bachelor party tonight.Seeing Lillian's defiant tone, Tina couldn't help but feel
Meanwhile, at a bar in Evan's villa, the butlers had already popped open numerous bottles of beer and filled up a table.At the adjacent bar counter, a bartender was mixing drinks. On the other side of the counter, there was a rack of red wine bottles.Keith casually plopped down on the sofa, lazily watching Stanford and Evan continuously drink.Lillian walked over with two glasses of red wine, handing one to Keith and sitting down next to him.Keith took the glass and said to Evan, "I didn't get a chance to ask you earlier. Why did you suddenly decide to get married? I thought you were against marriage."Evan tilted his head back and gulped down a beer before answering, "Hannah is different from other women.""How is she different?" Lillian chimed in, this time speaking up with a smile. "I want to hear your praise for Hannah. It's the task she entrusted to me!""Hahaha..." Evan pointed playfully at Lillian's nose. "Mischievous!"After finishing a bottle of beer, Stanford said, "I'm c
Keith returned the Moore family, which he had previously acquired, back to them intact. He signed an agreement with Old Mrs. Moore, stating that the Nelson Family Group would annually provide free financial support to all industries under the Moore family and their research institute in Indonesia.At the same time, Keith ramped up collaboration with the Davis Family Group to compensate for the assistance and sacrifices their ancestors had made for the Moore family.Finally, Old Mrs. Moore let go of her prejudices and the so-called ancestral rule, stopped forcing Shirley to marry Rupert, and accepted Keith as her grandson-in-law.Keith, full of vigor, led Shirley back to the room, eager to explain everything to her.But before Keith could speak, Shirley's face suddenly turned pale, and she collapsed against Keith.Keith's words were swallowed up instantly."Shirley, what's wrong?" Keith scooped Shirley up and rushed out. "Doctor, nurse!""Keith, my stomach hurts. It hurts so much," Shi
After stomping out the cigarette butt on the floor, Lillian picked up the cup intending to take a sip, only to find it empty.Anxiously, she put the cup down and paced around the room.This shabby motel was tucked away in a corner of the old town, notorious for its crime and violence.Lillian really didn't want to be here, but she couldn't think of a better option for hiding out.The big hotels required ID registration, and she didn't want to risk being recognized, especially looking as disheveled as she did, with her scruffy appearance.She couldn't even bear to see herself like this, let alone others.This morning, while washing her face, she felt a lump in her throat, a sign that it might protrude again.This discovery made her extremely uneasy.In order to expedite the surgery and achieve the desired effect, she opted for a conservative procedure, leaving part of the Adam's apple intact.In other words, if her testosterone levels rose again, surpassing the estrogen in her body, sh
Shirley saw the flowers Simon had sent her blooming beautifully, and her mind wandered to the scene of Susan meeting Simon.Then, Shirley couldn't help but sigh.These days, Simon had been quite active in this circle, reminding everyone of Mr. Simon's presence.Hopefully, he could recover smoothly from Susan's death blow soon.Lost in thought, Shirley heard the doorbell ring.Naturally, someone went to open it, while Shirley stayed put.Lately, she noticed she was becoming lazier—moving only when necessary.Soon, Janet came over with a box, smiling as she said to Shirley, "This is from the Smith family, probably more flowers from Mr. Simon."These days, Simon had been sending over many flowers from his greenhouse.Thankfully, they had a dedicated gardener to tend to them, and a large enough greenhouse to store them. Otherwise, there wouldn't be enough space for all these flowers.You see, even a random potted flower would cost tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars!These were all S
Well, Lillian would if she could!She felt all numb now!She could only look at Evan with pleading eyes, hoping he would spare her considering she had given him her first time.Sure enough, Evan caught Lillian's plea and immediately said, "Hannah, that's enough. You must be tired from all the hitting, be careful of the baby in your stomach."Hannah stopped immediately as Evan spoke.Shirley and Tina were once again speechless in shock.What a nice way Hannah turned things around!Indeed, Hannah must have been tired; hitting someone was physically exhausting!Hannah pointed at Lillian, accusingly saying, "You heartless creature, I considered you my friend, and you slept with my husband!"Shirley touched her nose; why did that line sound so familiar?Despite Lillian being physically numb, her mouth could still talk. However, the voice sounded oddly off."Hannah, do you think I don't know how you got pregnant?" Lillian's face was swollen from Hannah's hits, and coupled with her hoarse vo
Keith nodded, "You do understand my style and methods. Indeed, anyone who dares to target the Nelson family won't survive more than three days. I spared your life for a reason. You haven't disappointed me; you've smoothly resolved the trouble I wanted to get rid of."Lillian was trembling even more violently, "You...you...""Lillian, you've got some nerve! You actually wanted to lay a finger on the Nelson family's influence in Europe. Should I praise your bravery, or mock your stupidity?" Keith sighed lightly, "You thought getting enough shares would let you meddle in Europe? That's incredibly amusing!"Lillian glared fiercely at Keith, her voice becoming even hoarser, lacking the sweetness and clarity it once had. Instead, it sounded like a cracked drum, extremely grating."If you know everything, then do what you will with me!" Lillian gritted her teeth.Despite her words, her eyes kept drifting towards the door, as if waiting for something.Suddenly, Keith chuckled softly."Why wou
Lillian heard Monica's words and burst out laughing without reservation!"I'm talking nonsense? Monica, can you swear you haven't fallen for Simon?" A strange flush suddenly rose on Lillian's face, letting the cold wind blow against her, but she felt nothing, turning to look at Monica like this. "Yeah, with this scandal, how could you possibly keep it under wraps? You love Simon so much, you went as far as warning Susan, stirring up trouble with Shirley. But no matter how you cover it up, do you think everyone is a fool?"Monica recoiled in fear, frantically trying to explain, "It's just sibling affection...""Enough, save those lies to deceive yourself, stop pretending in front of me." Lillian continued pressing on: "But, I wonder, how would Simon feel if he knew his adoring little sister, who's been in love with him for over a decade, what would be his state of mind?"Monica finally panicked, reaching out to cover Lillian's mouth, but Lillian slapped Monica's hand away, looking at M
Lillian's words caused the expressions of those around her to subtly change towards Albert.Many people present knew of Albert's background.Despite various disdain towards Mr. Albert, he was still connected to the Nelson family, an entity not to be crossed.Even if Lillian did not like Albert, she dared not openly confront him.Evan, grinning, approached Shirley, "Oh oh, your second brother was hit, as his sister-in-law, are you really going to remain indifferent?""Let's put aside the question of whether I am his sister-in-law, as the host of today's banquet, are you truly going to stay indifferent in the face of such a drama?" Shirley countered Evan.As Evan hesitated about whether to help, a commotion erupted at the entrance.Shirley followed the crowd's gaze. At the villa's entrance, a Rolls-Royce spun elegantly and parked perfectly.A group of well-trained bodyguards formed two rows, the car door opened, and an impeccably dressed figure leisurely got out.Shirley was speechless
Following Evan's gaze, Shirley turned around and saw Lillian in a white fur coat, wearing a red form-fitting dress underneath.Lillian walked in with a man in his forties on her arm."Lillian changes her man every time she appears," Tina remarked, crossing her arms. "Evan, did you invite her?"Hearing Tina's disdainful tone, Evan quickly replied, "Come on, why would I invite her? She's just a minor character, and doesn't have the qualifications. But the man next to her might be a potential investor tonight. Shirley, do you remember him?"Shirley looked puzzled at Evan, "Why should I remember him?"Evan smirked mischievously, "Because he's Director Alice's ex-husband!""Pfft..." Shirley and Tina both sprayed out the juice in their mouths!Shirley looked incredulous, "No way? Is Director Alice coming tonight as well?"Evan laughed more maliciously, "Yep, Director Alice will be here too! I wonder what it would be like for her to see her ex-husband attending this party with her actresses.
Mr. Flores suddenly looked up at the person handing him the pen. When he saw the face clearly, his fingers trembled, almost throwing the pen away!This was...one of Keith's assistants.Keith had many assistants—some were public, like Tony and Jim. Of course, there were also some who worked discreetly, like the current assistant in front of him.As a member of the board of directors, Mr. Flores had seen this assistant a few times.This assistant was a formidable figure with blood on his hands. Did his presence mean that Keith already knew everything?Mr. Flores felt like a fish in hot oil, suffering repeatedly.Mr. Flores had an unprecedented sense of regret.He had always thought he was watertight, but little did he know that Keith had long grasped his weaknesses.The assistant gestured for Mr. Flores to look at the document in his hands.His gaze fell, and when he understood the contents, his eyes became increasingly sinister!The assignee of this document was not Lillian, but Keith!