Darwin chuckled, "An unconventional relationship?""It always has been..." Fiona muttered. "Can you do it or not? Say something!"“Hmm.”Darwin indeed needed to go back to the old mansion tonight. It was time to set a date for Hathaway's wedding. Choosing today was also a way to appease Anniston. Otherwise, with her personality, who knows what kind of turmoil she would cause."I'm going back to the secret mansion tonight.""The study is over," Fiona said as she tried to stand up. However, Darwin wouldn’t allow it. Not only did he stop her, but he also pressed her down onto the sofa. Fiona exclaimed, shocked. She hadn’t locked the door when she came in, and anyone could enter at any time. "The door isn't locked!" Fiona whispered anxiously. Darwin acted as if he hadn't heard and lowered his head to kiss her. Fiona was trembling with fear, but luckily no one came in while he was finished. Her lipstick was completely smudged, and she breathed heavily as she lightly punched Darwin and
Fiona felt that she had already become immune to the matter of Darwin getting married. Yet when she heard about the wedding date, her heart still ached sharply.Fiona thought to herself: "Ah, how pathetic.”"Hathaway invited me, but I don't like the Solomon family's young man, so I thought of sending a gift instead of attending the wedding," Janna Rhoads said naturally as she served Fiona some food. "But even if you don't like someone, you still have to put thought into a wedding gift. So I wanted to ask you about the Solomon family's young man's preferences.""I haven't really thought about that," Fiona replied calmly. "Since it's Miss Ross's invitation, shouldn't we focus on her preferences?""Yes, that seems reasonable," Janna Rhoads nodded. "Then let's give her a bracelet and a set of pure gold dragon and phoenix ornaments!"“Yes, the dragon and phoenix ornaments sound good,” Fiona agreed.Janna Rhoads looked at Fiona. This little girl didn't seem to be upset at all. If she wasn't
"Joshua!" Janna Rhoads hurriedly called for assistance.Amidst the chaos, Fiona unintentionally made eye contact with Joshua. His withered-like hand reached out towards her. His mouth opened and closed, as if he wanted to speak."Ch-... child..."Joshua laboriously managed to utter two words. Before the medical staff could rush in to save him, the light in his eyes suddenly faded away, and his outstretched hand dropped heavily. The cardiac monitor emitted a harsh beep, announcing Joshua's death."Joshua!!!" Janna Rhoads rushed over and began crying inconsolably. After a brief moment of sobbing, Janna Rhoads suddenly fainted."Grandma Rhoads!" Fiona exclaimed.After the commotion settled, Janna Rhoads was also admitted to the hospital room. Using translation software, Fiona communicated with Stuart about Janna Rhoads' medical history. Thankfully, Janna Rhoads had always been in good health. It was simply an overwhelming sadness on this particular day. Stepping out of Janna Rhoads' hos
Stuart took over the responsibility. Madame Rhoads, being in a state of sadness, would be detrimental to her health. When Fiona spoke, Madame Rhoads smiled, and he stood there silly, laughing along with her.Janna observed the scene, feeling somewhat speechless. She said, "I can't understand a word, and I don't know what he's laughing about!"Fiona stroked her hand gently and said, "Because he sees you laughing, that's why he is happy too."Stuart was estimated to be over 6 feet tall. He had a large stature, dark skin, and somewhat fierce features. But when Janna fainted just now, Stuart had been wiping away tears, looking pitiful.Janna smiled with relief. She lowered her eyelids and patted Fiona's hand affectionately, saying in an adoring and gentle tone, "You, my dear, are still like a language of flowers, aren't you?"Fiona was genuinely surprised this time. "Grandma Rhoads, my grandmother used to praise me like that too. She even saved my contact as 'Little Language of Flowers' o
Alice's expression turned sour. She grabbed Kenji and walked toward Joshua's location. In a short while, the body would be taken to the funeral home. Per Joshua's instructions, there would be no funeral; instead, they would directly cremate and bury the ashes with his wife at the Yunnan tea flower forest."These old people are indirectly insulting me!" Kenji's face paled. He might not be as skilled in business as those geniuses, but he believed in his capabilities. He just lacked a bit of luck!"What about the successor? Your mother wouldn't be foolish enough to hand over the massive family business to an outsider, right?" Alice felt somewhat uneasy.She hadn't expected that after more than twenty years, the old lady would somehow discover the truth about what happened back then. Due to this revelation, she had severed ties with her and her husband. However, Alice thought to herself that Kenji was Janna' eldest son. She couldn't possibly give up her own flesh and blood for a woman fro
Chaos immediately broke out in the conference room."This is impossible! Where did Jane's daughter come from? She's already dead!!" Alice stood up, pointing at the lawyer. "Don't read it incorrectly! I can sue you!""Mrs. Ji, please calm down. To avoid any complications after the inheritance announcement, Mr. Joshua recorded a video in the presence of notary personnel." The lawyer raised his hand, signaling.The assistant immediately projected the video.After a brief snowflake pattern, the image appeared on the screen.Joshua lay on a hospital bed, looking withered but still somewhat spirited. The corner of the video displayed the time, recorded half a year ago.The earlier contents were indisputable.And then..."The final part, as well as all of my real estate, I want to leave to my adopted daughter Jane... No, to Carla Woods' daughter.""This is impossible!" Alice shouted loudly.Meanwhile, Joshua's words continued."Due to Jane's passing, I lost contact with my granddaughter. I h
Hospital Underground Garage.Fiona hastily arrived last night and only vaguely remembered the parking spot. She searched for a while before finding the car. At that moment, Darwin called urgently, once again.Fiona answered.“Mr. Solomon, I just found the car. Could you not rush me?”Darwin sneered. There was no sense of urgency in his voice. Tried to hide her displeasure.“It’s too late, coming back now won’t make it in time for dinner,” Fiona said."Can I..." She was cut off by Darwin hanging up without waiting for her to finish.Fiona smiled slightly at the corner of her mouth. It's amusing to see Darwin getting upset occasionally.Darwin called back, "What would you like to eat?" Darwin's attitude having softened a bit. "I've already ordered from the restaurant, it will be delivered straight to the apartment. You must be tired from this trip back. Going to the restaurant again would mean another trip.”"All fine," Fiona said while unlocking the car door."Not all, tell me what you
Eric lost control. He couldn't bear to watch Fiona retching like that anymore. He immediately went out and called for the maids."Take her to the bathroom! Wash every inch of her clean for me! And make her rinse her mouth at least ten times! Tear off the carpet and throw it out!" Eric paused for a moment, then seemed to think it wasn't enough. "No! Burn the carpet!"After a moment, a few maids walked in with solemn expressions. When they saw Fiona tied up, they were momentarily stunned. Mr. Eric had brought many women back before. But which one of them didn't cling to Mr. Eric like a vine, smiling and charming?This one...This one was clearly brought here against her will, right?"Miss, we'll take you to the bathroom..." The leading maid approached Fiona.Fiona glanced at her."Tied up to take a bath?"The maid looked somewhat embarrassed.Fiona sneered, "That beast used some kind of drug on me. My hands and feet are weak, let alone you four. I can't fight you alone."She didn't real
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