Sean glanced at the card, completely stunned. "I heard about the situation between you two from Yves. I just can't understand who gave you the audacity to believe you could get back with him," Emma spoke bluntly and harshly, as Yves had instructed."I don't need you to meddle in my affairs with him," Sean said, his tone gradually taking on that composed demeanor one might expect in a negotiation.Emma was equally direct. "I have the same advice for you."Sean smiled and seemed to transform back into the composed Carter family's heir."What are you smiling about?" Emma was perplexed."I know you and Yves are putting on an act. Regardless of what he may have told you, there's one thing you should understand," Sean stated confidently.Emma frowned, obviously confused. Sean continued, "Interfering a couple's relationship is never a good idea.""We're not acting," Emma insisted again."Really?""Yes," Emma replied firmly.Sean's gaze remained fixed on her. "May I request that
At this moment, Yves was in his study, watching the living room surveillance. He realized that they had been exposed after hearing their conversation.Emma entered the room, looking concerned. "He figured it out. I'm sorry.""It's not your fault. I wasn't well prepared," Yves said coldly but still remained polite.It would take at least two months of preparations to trick Sean, which was too long."He seems to care about you." Emma offered a favorable impression of Sean based on their conversation."He does care, but the current me doesn't want it anymore," Yves said.Over the past few weeks, Yves had found himself falling for Sean. He worried he might find himself torn between dwelling on the past and missing Sean for the person he had become. Moreover, he could not let Sean be dependent on him. "Well..." Emma was at a loss for words."Go back for now. Thank you for your help today. I'll treat you to dinner another day," Yves told her."It wasn't troublesome at all. Sophie's
Sean stood there, looking at Yves, their eyes locked. Yves felt intensely burdened. After what seemed like an eternity, Sean looked into Yves's distant and aloof gaze. He softly and directly called out, "Yves."Yves did not respond; his current emotional state was hanging by a thread. Speaking these words to someone he cared about hurt him more than the other person's. Yet, he had been struggling, even entertaining thoughts of forgiving Sean for his past actions. Forgiving him for calling him disgusting, for telling his parents that being with Yves was just a means to an end. However, he could not...Yves knew those actions were driven by necessity back then, but Sean had not explained himself immediately after, leaving these perceptions etched into his core.While their relationship was getting stronger, any slight misstep on Sean's part led to Yves overthinking. He knew it was because he had grown sensitive after his previous rift with Sean, but he could not help it, and he
What would be awaiting him? Yves did not dare to think about it, nor could he endure another round of heartache."Even if you don't like me, I'll always love you. I'll come back in a couple of days, and if you miss me even a little, leave a crack in the window so I can sneak in at midnight," Sean bravely confessed.In response, Yves closed the windows.Sean pretended not to hear and continued, "I'm leaving now. If you miss me, don't forget to call me."After waiting for a while and not hearing anything, Sean had no choice but to leave. Before he left, he bid Yves goodbye.Yves sat in his room for a very long time, watching the sunset outside the window. He did not move, even as the night fell.Over the next two days, Yves stayed at home, not going anywhere. It was the first time he could not even concentrate on reading.On the third evening after Sean had left, Yves intentionally locked all doors and windows, evidently trying to prevent Sean from sneaking in at night. People
Yves was taken aback and asked, "What do you mean?"Matthew seemed surprised. "Don't you know?"Suddenly, Yves had a sinking feeling in his heart, and he was not as composed anymore. "About what?""Sean had a car accident two ago and is currently in the intensive care unit. According to the doctors, if he doesn't wake up in the next couple of days, he might never do," Cynthia provided a brief explanation of what she knew.Yves felt like he had been hit by a truck. His mind went blank, and an indescribable pain spread from the depths of his heart."You were really unaware of this?" Cynthia was also shocked. After all, Yves and Sean were close, and he should be the first to be notified about any accident related to Sean. Not only that, even if something were to happen to any of them, they would also contact Yves first because of his exceptional medical skills. With a thousand thoughts racing through his mind, Yves asked, "Which hospital is he in?" Cynthia and Matthew told him
"He didn't want you to know," Joshua said.Yves frowned. "What do you mean?""When I got the call to come to the hospital, he had already been taken into the operating room, covered in blood. Do you know what he asked me to do?" Joshua said coldly and emotionlessly."What?" Yves inquired."He said that if he didn't make it, I should keep it from you and not let you find out. He told me that if you asked, I should tell you he had returned to his family," Joshua replied, locking eyes with Yves.Yves's heart sank.If he had been regretful about the harsh words he had spoken to Sean before, now he felt as if he were suffocating.Why was Sean so foolish? "I don't know what happened between the two of you, but I believe I shouldn't lie. Since you're here, I think it's time to tell you about his condition," Joshua continued,"It's my fault…" Yves felt regret for the first time."Would you like to know his condition?" Joshua was composed, his well-tailored suit accentuating his hand
As for Joshua, after leaving Yves, he headed straight to the intensive care unit. He looked down at the person lying there, eyes tightly shut in a deep coma."Yves took it seriously. What do you think he'd do if he found out you lied to him?" Joshua whispered.Sean opened his eyes and said, "He'd get angry."The car accident had been a carefully orchestrated plan, a performance he had staged with Joshua's help. Moreover, the hospital even informed Cynthia, intending to let Yves know the whole story through them.It seemed that Sean had a knack for cracking Yves's thoughts.Joshua gazed and advised, "I suggest you confess to him before the surgical plan is revealed. Otherwise, the consequences might turn out worse than you can imagine." "I'm afraid he'll punch me," Sean confessed, feeling quite timid. Since Sean had left Yves the other day, he had been mulling over his actions. His intention was not to deceive Yves or watch him worry but rather to make Yves realize his feelings
Yves's initial reaction was that he must be hallucinating from staying up too late, but he quickly realized it was indeed real."I wasn't in a car accident," Sean said as he pulled a chair in front of Yves. He immediately grabbed Yves's hands, worried that Yves might punch him. "I just wanted you to see your true feelings through this."Yves remained shocked. The hands he held were warm. This person... was Sean."If you're angry, you can hit me. I promise not to fight back," Sean continued, reaching for Yves's hands to smack his own face. "Is this a game to you?" Yves exuded a chilling aura, and his once distant gaze was now filled with an icy glare.Sean behaved like a child caught misbehaving, promptly apologizing, "It's not a game."Yves stood up abruptly. Sean immediately grabbed him, saying, "But I promise, I had no intention of deceiving you. I just wanted you to understand your feelings. You clearly like and care about me, so why refuse to admit it?""I hate lies,"
Isabella glared at Nick. He actually betrayed her! Caught off guard by Luther's honesty, Nick quickly explained, "Don't look at me like that. Luther forced me to do it. If I didn't agree to his request, he would've spilled my past to my current girlfriend.""Current girlfriend?" Isabella looked puzzled.Nick confessed honestly, "My new girlfriend."Isabella was at a loss for words. Nick was very handsome. His looks could rival top celebrities. Naturally, with his face and charisma, he had no shortage of admirers. That led to a habit of frequently changing girlfriends."I made my rules clear to her. No shady behavior allowed," Nick added quickly, sensing what Isabella was thinking.Hearing this, Isabella did not say much.A moment later, Luther, seeing that their conversation had wrapped up, took Isabella's hand and left. On the way back, he deliberately brought up the topic of proposals."What kind of proposal do you like?" Luther asked."Anything works," Isabella replied
There was a time when Isabella considered letting Luther propose to her. However, he had not shown any signs that he would or asked for her ring size. There was no need to overthink it; that fool probably had not even thought about it. Nonetheless, Isabella did not blame Luther. After all, she was well aware that everyone expressed love differently. Yet, that was also precisely why she wanted to propose to him, to make him understand just how much she cared."What's wrong?" Annie asked, concerned."I'm just worried," Isabella replied. The ring sizes had been a constant worry for her."Because of what you just mentioned?"Isabella nodded. "Yeah.""Why do you want to propose to him?" Annie looked toward a dark corner. "In most relationships, the boyfriend proposes to the girlfriend, right?""I want him to feel loved," Isabella answered simply.Luther was different from most people; he always suppressed his negative emotions and limited his freedom. He no longer wanted to restr
"No," Luther declined; he still wanted to be the one proposing to her."Okay," Joshua agreed readily.Luther nodded, letting his mind wander. In the following days, Isabella kept checking on the progress, each time being informed that there was no opportunity to measure Luther's finger.In the blink of an eye, three days passed.Cynthia and Matthew had a conversation with Isaiah.Due to prior preparation, Isaiah handled Cynthia and Matthew's questions smoothly. Although they knew Isaiah had not been entirely truthful, based on his attitude toward Sandra, they agreed to the marriage without excessive probing into his relationship with her.As for Isabella, she waited for a few days but had not received any news. Frustrated, she decided to go to Jiverton herself to find Luther.When Joshua heard about her plan, he asked her to give him a bit more time. He assured her he would have the sizes by next Friday at the latest."Really?" Isabella was worried about running out of time.
"Okay." Isaiah already had a plan in mind.After discussing the matter, the two did not say much more. In the following two days, Cynthia and Matthew stayed home while Isabella prepared the details and processes for the proposal.However, after going through the general plan, Isabella suddenly realized a problem. She did not know Luther's ring size. How could she prepare a ring for the proposal without knowing the size?Realizing this issue, she immediately thought of flying to Jiverton to find out but hesitated due to Luther's caution. If she returned so soon after just coming back, he would surely be suspicious. After much contemplation, she came up with a solution—Joshua.When Isabella called, Joshua happened to be having a meal with Luther."I'm not busy, what's up?""I need your help with something," Isabella said, trusting Joshua's abilities, "but Luther can't know about it."Joshua instinctively glanced at Luther.Luther was confused. He glanced at Joshua's phone and
"Quit the act," Matthew said to Isabella, "It's too bad."Isabella stayed quiet. Matthew bluntly stated, "Isaiah currently oversees the company, and the annual revenue has been consistently increasing under his management. He even took a few subsidiaries public.""And?" Isabella inquired."He has a talent for this," Matthew hinted, leaving Isabella puzzled as she struggled to keep up with Matthew's pace."He's barely in his twenties, so there's no rush to get married," Matthew explained. He saw through everything, understanding Isaiah well, adding, "If there were truly such a concern, he could easily establish a company under Sandra's name in the next few years, operate it until it goes public."With Isaiah's abilities and connections, starting a company and taking it public would be a simple task. After the IPO and proper management, Sandra's value would naturally rise. This would effortlessly 'shut their mouths'. Isabella wanted to say something, realizing her dad's words
"That depends on the secret he's keeping," Matthew responded immediately, taking the opportunity to tease Isaiah, "If it's something against our moral values, it'd be hard not to form an opinion, even if we try not to.""He's not that kind of person," Isabella defended Isaiah.Matthew did not respond but just sat there. Their father-son dynamic involved banter and teasing, but when it came down to it, they genuinely cared about each other."He's just worried that you might object to Sandra's background," Isabella continued to spin her tale convincingly.Cynthia and Matthew were confused, both staring at Isabella.Isabella felt a bit uneasy. Something seemed off with her parents' expressions. "What's wrong?""Are you sure Isaiah is worried about this?" Cynthia asked.Why was their beloved daughter so bad at lying? Not catching on, Isabella nodded, "Absolutely.""Setting aside the fact that we've always taught you not to treat people differently based on their family background
"Ah, I see." Isabella breathed a sigh of relief and purposely asked, "Is it possible that Isaiah got to know Sandra through Uncle Yves and Uncle Sean?""It's unlikely," Cynthia denied. Even though they had not arranged any blind dates or rushed Isaiah into marriage, given his personality, he would not seek an introduction from anyone."Whenever you have time, ask Isaiah to bring his girlfriend home," Cynthia said, truly wishing for her children to find happiness. Isabella agreed, "Sure.""Isabella," Cynthia suddenly spoke up.Putting away her plan book, Isabella responded, "Hmm?""Do you think I look stern?" Cynthia sounded gentler than usual, lacking the usual nonchalance.Having been accustomed to being herself, Cynthia found it a bit awkward to take on the role of an elder suddenly. If she left a bad impression on Sandra during their first meeting, it could easily jeopardize Isaiah's relationship."Not at all," Isabella spoke sincerely, looking at Cynthia affectionately. "Y
Isaiah had seen through their plans. He knew that his parents' friends enjoyed watching him banter with Matthew. Every time something was like this, they would eagerly make things difficult for him.Early the next morning, Mitchell and the others began implementing the plan. Initially, Matthew did not suspect anything and thought they genuinely had urgent matters to attend to and brought Cynthia back home first.Considering Luther's upcoming proposal, they decided not to travel the world but instead explored nearby cities. After Mitchell and the others called Matthew aside, Isabella approached Cynthia. Cynthia was surprised to learn about Isabella and Isaiah's plan."Aren't you afraid of getting in trouble?" Cynthia asked."Not at all," Isabella responded very directly, her mind focused on planning her and Luther's engagement. "Isaiah said he can handle this matter, so let's discuss the proposal first. I've thought about several options, but none seem good enough.""Okay," Cynth
Isaiah was surprised."Take her to shoot wedding photos first," Isabella suggested seriously. After giving it some thought, Isaiah said, "I'll ask her during dinner.""Why bother asking?" Isabella thought Isaiah's emotional intelligence was lacking, and Sandra's expectations were too low. "Just pick a few reputable studios and let her choose one she likes."During their conversation, Isabella noticed that Sandra was slightly anticipating a wedding, although she had refused for some unknown reason. If she was not truly opposed to weddings, there should not be an issue with pre-wedding photos."If you give it directly to her, she'll probably say she doesn't need it," Isabella coined. She could see through people and was quite clever.Isaiah clearly did not consider this possibility."Take a look at these studios. My friends suggested them," Isabella had already made the selections and recommended them to him. "Weren't you against my decision before?" Isaiah, not understanding h