"After returning from New Port, he has made a diligent effort," Darwin said nonchalantly.“Oh…" Fiona appeared completely disinterested."About that Dagmar..." Darwin began.Fiona frowned."I've already told you, Dagmar and I were childhood neighbors, it was a coincidence! My grandparents took care of him, so that's why I took him to the cemetery! Don't mess things up!" Her tone was very unpleasant.Darwin's face slowly grew serious."Can't you let me finish?" "He has been working on a rescue program for children born with congenital heart disease, and I anonymously donated some money to it."Fiona hesitated for a moment.Darwin looked at her.“Fiona, I may not be a good person, but I’m not that bad either.”Fiona pursed her lips.After a while, she finally said, “Thank you.”Darwin looked at her, feeling a bit deflated. He had tried various ways to please her and make her happy. But why was she still seemed unhappy."Let's go eat porridge," Fiona changed the subject, "I want somethi
Inside the private room, Janna Rhoads quickly ordered dishes that she and Stuart loved. Across from them was Fiona. She also ordered two dishes, both light in flavor."For these two dishes, no onions, cilantro, or nuts," Fiona informed the waiter after placing the order. She then handed the menu back to the waiter.Janna Rhoads was puzzled.“Isn’t Mr. Solomon ordering anything?”"She ordered for me, and I'll be eating it," Darwin replied, with a pride that was hard for others to comprehend.Fiona's fingertips stiffened. Every time she dined out with Darwin, she would be the one ordering. Every time, she would choose dishes based on Darwin's preferences and remind him of what not to eat. Over the past five years, it had become a habit.Janna Rhoads looked at Fiona. In that moment of emotional connection, she seemed to understand something."Why only order what he wants to eat? Don't you have any favorites?" Grandma Rhoads asked.Could it be due to hormonal changes during pregnancy?Fio
"What's your intention when you care so much about me?" Darwin glanced at Wyatt.Wyatt furrowed his brow."That day, you left Nebraska hastily because of Hathaway..."Wyatt returned to Bay City, and I talked to Fiona about it," Darwin remained silent. It meant for Wyatt to continue speaking. "She was determined to leave." Darwin's expression remained unchanged, but the warmth in his eyes rapidly cooled down. "I used to misunderstand her, thinking she was just after money, so she stayed by your side with Lilian's help to make some profit," Wyatt continued. "But this time in New Port, I realized that I had misunderstood her. Fiona is actually an eagle that can soar high."Darwin's heart suddenly sank. Soar high? How high and how far can she fly? "I will give her the space to soar high," Darwin replied. But it had to be within his territory."What kind of space? A larger golden cage, isn't it?" Wyatt paused for a moment. "I won't ask you if you can wholeheartedly protect her. I'll ask yo
Outside the community fence, there was a Swedish hotpot stall. On a winter night, a bright light illuminated the steam from the soup. Fiona held her phone, remaining silent on the other end of the line. She hung up and blocked Harold's contact information.Opening the door, the enticing aroma of Ashton's cooking filled the air as she ran towards her. "You didn't go back?" Fiona asked. "What happened to your face?" Ashton immediately noticed the red mark on her face. Fiona shrugged helplessly. Anniston must really hate her to slap her so hard..."I encountered a crazy woman," Fiona raised her hand. "I bought orange cakes, let's have half each.""Where did this crazy woman come from? Weren't you going to the sanatorium?" Ashton felt so sorry for her. "Well, it's not uncommon to find crazy people in a sanatorium, is it?" Fiona led Ashton to the living room, then opened the cake box, dividing it in half. "What about that person? I'll go find her! You can't just hit people randomly, c
If we talk about the past few days, Bella has truly been through a lot, going through deep waters and scorching flames.At first, Fiona was driven away, and Bella took her place. Bella genuinely believed that her good days were about to begin. However, good days only lasted for a short while.Ever since the cruise cocktail party, Darwin never gave her a second glance. Not even at her, with a face extremely similar to Lilian's, did he show any interest.Following that, came Darwin's grand engagement. He proudly displayed his beautiful fiancée in front of the media, showing off their love.But, this didn't really bother Bella. She even knew about Darwin's plan to form a business alliance with the Ross family before Fiona did. What bothered Bella was the fact that after Darwin's engagement, he completely forgot about Hathaway and frantically searched for Fiona everywhere.They were just replacements for each other. One left, only for another to take their place.And a person like Darwin,
In the past, Fiona never argued with Darwin. But Darwin had a bad temper and would get angry at her. When he was mad, it was common for him to ignore Fiona for three or four days. Sometimes, if he was busy and extremely angry, it could even last for ten days or half a month.Last night, he seemed really furious. Fiona thought to herself that she would have at least three or four days of leisure. So she was in a good mood and bought a lot of nourishing ingredients online, making a delicious tomato and pork ribs soup and her specialty, Mexican-style spicy chicken wings. When the Mexican-style spicy chicken wings were almost done, she realized that she was out of sesame seeds.It was cold outside, and she didn't feel like going out to buy them, so she called for delivery.When the doorbell rang. She thought it was the sesame seeds. She happily opened the door.Then she froze. Before she could turn around, she was lifted up and the front door slammed shut. Darwin kissed her.Fiona wondere
"No, thanks," responded Fiona.The atmosphere was cold as Darwin looked at her."What are you looking at me for? Didn't I reject you on WhatsApp that day?" Fiona glanced at him.Perhaps she had submitted to Darwin's power for far too long. Now, being stared at like this... She inexplicably felt a little guilty."I rejected you because you wanted to leave at that time," Darwin said slowly, "Fiona, do you still want to run away?"Fiona's heart skipped a beat. She desperately tried to steady her mind and expression."No," she replied.Darwin's heart felt as if it was being stabbed with a blunt knife, one cut at a time. She was lying."Then become the CEO," Darwin's tone brooked no argument.Slowly, Darwin also understood many things that Fiona couldn't let go of.Except for him.Friends, family, career—she couldn’t let go of any of them.The energy company was given to her, and as long as she managed it, there would be one more attachment that she couldn't leave behind.Even if it wasn’t
Fiona didn't sleep well that night.Darwin's murmurs in her ear before sleep became the source of nightmares.It was still early in the morning, but she still woke up.Darwin was still holding her, and she tried to break free from his embrace. Instead, she received an even tighter hug."What's wrong?" Darwin woke up, his voice hoarse."I need to use the bathroom!" Fiona patted his arm, "Let go!"Darwin responded with an "oh" and released his grip.Fiona freshened up. While Darwin was still asleep, she went to the living room, took out a pillbox from her bag, and intended to take some vitamins and folic acid. Just as she swallowed the pills. She heard Darwin's voice from behind."Why are you taking medicine?"Startled, Fiona choked on the water in her throat and coughed violently. Seeing this, Darwin hurried over, gently patting her back to help her catch her breath.Fiona's face turned red from coughing, and she hammered Darwin lightly, saying, "Can't you walk without making any sound
As Ashton was sorting through the gifts, she too was reflecting on everything."Isn't my life just a series of bizarre twists?" she mumbled, looking down. "Finding out Chris was secretly going on blind dates behind my back, then breaking up. Watching him get engaged, and seeing my own mom take his fiancée's side, leading to our fallout. That should have been my rock bottom, right?"Fiona nodded in agreement.The day Ashton cut ties with her mom, she'd even bought her a plane ticket. She wanted to send her to some tranquil getaway for a much-needed vacation to relax and rejuvenate."Who would've guessed? Right after the falling out with my mom—a spur-of-the-moment decision—I ended up marrying Kenny. I was so down on my luck, I thought, 'How much worse can it get?'” Ashton chuckled ironically, then softened a bit. "But, who could have predicted how good Kenny would turn out to be? How he'd respect every single wish of mine."It was a kind of care that she hadn't felt since her dad had l
Fiona was actually surprised. After all, she wasn't a saint without desires. It all made sense to just go with the flow and do what naturally came next. She might only berate herself later for succumbing to her cravings. But Darwin stopped, and that was beyond her expectations. In the past, this would have been unthinkable. It seemed as though... he really had learned to respect her.She pressed a quick, rewarding peck onto Darwin's lips, smiled, and teased, 'Mr. Solomon, maybe you should head to the bathroom?”Her smile was captivating and bright, causing Darwin's past five years of distressing memories to resurface. He pulled her into his arms again."Wife, I miss you so much, I'm starting to lose my mind," Darwin's voice shook, betraying his emotional turmoil. "I keep seeing your shadow at home, but when I chase after it, there's nothing... Thank goodness... this time I've really got you in my arms."Fiona listened to his voice laced with sobs, her heart aching with each word."Ser
Darwin had always been self-centered in matters of intimacy. Whenever he desired, she couldn't refuse.In her haziness, Fiona felt like she was back in those times again."Don't be afraid."Sensing her anxiety and unease, Darwin softened, kissing her lips again and coaxing her with his gentle voice, "I won't force you. I'll wait until you're ready to truly accept me."In Fiona's misty eyes, desire began to cloud her vision. Her gaze often seemed distant and disconnected. As Darwin kissed her, her mind turned into mush, instinctively she kissed him back softly.Mr. Solomon just stood there, silent, his towering frame taut."You know exactly how to torture me," Darwin groaned, voice hoarse, as he peppered her neck with more fervent kisses."Be gentle..." Fiona clenched his hand. "You'll leave marks!"Darwin chuckled lowly, then tilted her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze, "Why fear my marks? Scared that man will see and get jealous?""No, it's not that…" Fiona turned away with a sligh
Once finished, the anxiety within Lilian began to subside.Just wait a little longer, Lilian. All these nuisances will soon vanish.And then, you'll be there for Darwin with all your gentle warmth. He’ll eventually be moved, realizing you're the one for him...Lilian took a deep breath and exhaled.On her way out, she passed by the flower shop where Darwin made his purchase. From a distance, she had only glimpsed the type of flowers Darwin had bought and decided to buy the same kind.Inside the apartment, Darwin silenced his phone and tossed it aside."Why didn't you tell me? Worried I'd take Lilian's side?" he pulled her close and asked earnestly.For five years, she had lived in Lilian’s shadow, a daily reminder that she was merely a stand-in and that Lilian was the more important one—a notion that had likely seeped into her very marrow.This realization made Darwin wish he could travel back in time to give his younger self a good thrashing.He
"The only person I've ever schemed for was Solomon. What could possibly make you believe I'd harm someone I don’t even know, like Miss Rhoads?" Lilian asked. "If that's truly how you see me, maybe it'd be better if you just kicked me out of Solomon's life..."Darwin had promised to protect Lilian.Hearing her say this, he felt a twinge of guilt.But...Darwin feared even more that because of the thorn that was Lilian, his wife’s heart, which had just started to soften toward him, would turn cold again.He was walking on eggshells just to avoid pushing her away.So..."I'm sorry, Lilian," Darwin said flatly. "There's no room for discussion."Lilian sat frozen in the car, as if her blood was slowly turning to ice.Even in her early days back in the country, Darwin had never protected Fiona like this.He used to drop everything to be at Lilian's side whenever she needed him, leaving Fiona behind.Now...Even when she tried to befriend Che
Fiona gazed at Darwin, his face inexplicably brimming with pride."Lilian places great value on the RH Company project." She kept to herself the fact that Lilian had plagiarized her proposal, but Fiona wasn't about to let it slide.This was simply a clash of interests, and she felt no need to drag Darwin further into the fray, avoiding the mess of tangled priorities."Hmm," Darwin's smile faded slightly, "Her proposal is indeed impressive, but it pales in comparison to yours."Fiona studied him intently, searching his face for any hint of romantic sentiment towards Lilian.Her search ended in vain."What are you looking at?" Darwin pulled her closer by the waist, gazing up at her.Fiona brushed her fingertips gently across his cheek, causing him to nuzzle into her hand like a kitten seeking affection."Don't stay away too long, come back soon," he whispered softly, his voice barely a murmur.What he truly wanted to say was, "Don't leave."Thei
Darwin had no clue about the sunny-side up egg story. Upon hearing it, his gaze immediately sought Fiona's.Fiona was clutching her burger too tight."Oh, why bring that up, mother?" the daughter-in-law chided softly, "I'm sorry about this.""It's fine," Fiona shook her head gently.Seeing Granny distressed, she excused herself to rest.Fiona stared at her burger, lost in thought.She had never imagined it.Her death had cast such a shadow, not only over her loved ones, but over those beyond her immediate circle.“It’s okay.” Darwin soothed her gently.Fiona cast another glance toward where the Hamburger Lady had disappeared and bowed her head to eat slowly.If the Hamburger Lady was so affected...What about Darwin?She had never been fully convinced of Darwin's love for her. It always seemed to her that his treatment of her was nothing more than possessiveness.Like an old belonging he didn’t want to discard, nor did he want anyo
Darwin sat in the treatment room with Fiona sitting beside him, scrolling through messages on her phone, while a doctor attended to Darwin's wound."The wound's not too deep, but it's not superficial either. You'll have to watch your diet," the doctor advised after dressing the wound."Got it, thank you for your help," Fiona put away her phone and politely thanked the doctor.Then they left the treatment room together.Darwin's face was brimming with relief, "We really didn't have to come to the hospital for this."Fiona didn't look at him.Leading the way, she said over her shoulder, "I'm here to prevent someone from using their wounds as an excuse to get me to come back."At that,the joy visibly drained from Darwin's face."I would never do that," he murmured softly.Fiona finally stopped and turned to look at him, "Mr. Solomon, you're becoming shamelessly unprincipled. Aren't you embarrassed to say such things?""Hungry?" Darwin steppe
“Monsoon Investment and I have always held deep respect for traditional industries. We hope that while guiding these industries through current challenges, we can also preserve the essence of the company's original culture as much as possible. Furthermore, we aim to highlight the significant contributions that RH Company has made to Armie Country and its citizens during challenging times. Monsoon Investment sincerely wishes to join hands with the esteemed shareholders of RH Company, to usher in the next era of brilliance,” Fiona concluded her address with a respectful bow.As she stepped down from the podium, the auditorium was quieter than expected.In contrast to the heated reactions to Lilian’s proposal, Fiona’s approach landed like a heavy punch right at the heart of RH Company’s shareholders. Lilian's face turned particularly sour.Chelsea's new strategy represented a complete shift.While the first proposal seemed, at first glance, to have a stronger pull on pe