Lambert gently patted Wythe's head. "Wythe, no matter what others say about your mom, in my heart, she's the best! I know her kindness, her strength, her efforts. Everything she does is just to protect herself. So, sweetheart, don't listen to the rumors, okay? No matter what, we'll support your mom and help her get through this."
"I understand. My mom is nothing like what they say. It's those other people who are bad!"
Lambert bent down to kiss Wythe's head. "You go and play for a while. I'll go check on your mom."
Wythe nodded heavily. Once Lambert entered the room, Wythe narrowed his eyes slightly.
Hmm!
How dare they say on TV that Grandma and Grandpa never want Mom to set foot in the Halsey house again!
They're going too far! It's intolerable! Even though he didn't really want to go to the Halsey house, seeing Mom's sad eyes made Wythe angry!
These people have never lived with Mom. Where do they get the right to comment so reckless
Odgen and Nydia were at a loss.They were about to call for help when they realized their phone batteries were dead. They hadn't expected this to be part of Wythe's plan.Unable to find help, Odgen and Nydia had to struggle to carry the pile of stuff themselves. Odgen managed better, being a man with some strength.But Nydia, used to a life of luxury and still wearing high heels, found it particularly difficult.Moreover, following Wythe's lead through the twists and turns of shopping, they had wandered far from where they had parked the car!As they walked, Wythe asked, "Grandma and Grandpa, are you tired? If you are, let's return these things. It doesn't matter to me whether I have them or not."As he spoke, he looked at the stuff Odgen and Nydia were carrying with longing eyes.How could they refuse this child? They insisted they weren't tired and that they could just carry everything to the car, which was only a ten-minute walk aw
Lydia was puzzled.She had been avoiding reporters as much as she could, so why bring them here now?Sensing Lydia's confusion, Lambert spoke up, "Lydia, we can't keep hiding from the public opinion. We need to tell everyone the truth about what happened. If people are so curious and interested in this matter, then we should take control of the situation ourselves. We should dictate the narrative instead of being controlled by it."At his words, Lydia felt a flicker of understanding, but it quickly faded as she lowered her gaze, her long lashes trembling slightly."But... my father's death...""It has nothing to do with you," Lambert interrupted firmly.He knew Lydia's thoughts well; she seemed to always feel guilty about Harlan's death, especially after seeing those horrifying blood words.But to Lambert, Harlan's fate was entirely of his own making. He was an adult and should take responsibility for his actions.Did Lydia des
Lydia and Lambert exchanged a glance, puzzled. "Doubts? What doubts?""It's like this, our on-site investigation suggests that Mr. Harlan may not have died by suicide. Therefore, the items you previously took from him might need to be re-evaluated by our department."Lydia's head buzzed, feeling disoriented. She stumbled, but Lambert caught her just in time.The reporters were in an uproar.They had thought Harlan's death was due to Lydia's disobedience, but now, there was a sudden twist.Was it a murder? Especially with the blood writings left behind, was it to frame Lydia?Lydia went from being the perpetrator to the victim in an instant!The sudden turn left the reporters speechless; they couldn't even find words to mock the situation!They could only sigh, realizing it wasn't about being out of touch with the times but rather the rapid changes of the era!Coming to her senses, Lydia's voice trembled, "Are you saying my father might have been murdered?""Yes! Various evidence sugge
"Really?" Arno paused, his hand holding the wine glass, his eyes filled with gossip. "Do you already have a clue about the culprit?"Lambert lowered his head slightly, his gaze fixed on the red liquid swaying in his glass.Despite his indifferent expression, the depth of his eyes exuded a chilling coldness.He spoke casually, "I want to set up a trap and I need your help."Arno speculated with amusement, "Is it for your beloved fiancée? I must say, you're so devoted. Is she worth it?"Lambert's eyes softened slightly, his tone unwavering, "She is."Arno leaned back slightly, sighing, "Alright, it's up to you. Tell me, how can I help?"Lambert remained indifferent, his deep eyes revealing an unsettling coldness. He spoke nonchalantly, "Get some people from South Prison..."Arno understood with a smile. He clinked his glass with Lambert's. "No problem, bro, consider it done!"Lambert raised his glass. "Thanks."...Three days later, in a cell at South Prison, a woman curled up on her be
Sure enough, there were already two or three people waiting there, Levi and his brothers!Seeing Mildred emerge, Levi impatiently urged, "Hurry up! Why are you so slow?"Mildred dared not speak, only apologizing repeatedly.The others were eager to leave, so they didn't say much either. They continued down the alley. During their recreational time earlier, they had surveyed the area.Exiting through this alley led to a row of workshops, and the back door of one of the workshops conveniently connected to a side gate of the outer wall.It was only about a hundred or two hundred meters away. Even if there were guards, there would only be one or two, easily manageable!Especially now, nearing midnight, when people were most tired. Due to the shortage of personnel at South Prison, many guards were working double shifts.Now was the best time for their escape.Mildred's bare feet were pained by the gravel on the ground, but she dared not complain. She followed Levi and the others, fully awa
Lydia rested on the sofa for a while, then went to the kitchen to fix herself a bowl of noodles. She took a few bites hurriedly and then went to bed.Lydia's sleep was restless. She seemed to have a terrifying nightmare where Harlan's face appeared, screaming at her to seek revenge, accompanied by bloody letters. Lydia woke up abruptly, drenched in cold sweat.Startled, Lydia sat up, intending to get up and fetch some water to drink.Then, to her horror, she noticed that the living room light was on! She distinctly remembered turning it off before going to bed. Was it Lambert who had returned?With these thoughts in mind, Lydia cautiously walked towards the living room, suppressing her inner fear, and sternly demanded, "Who are you? What are you doing in my house?"The person sitting on the sofa slowly turned around, and with a sinister smile, said, "Lydia, long time no see!"Lydia's eyes widened in astonishment. "How did you get in here?"The person was none other than Mildred!The c
When Lydia caught Mildred's gaze, she continued, "But don't get too cocky. Men, you know, are always the most fickle! Your fate in the future might be worse than mine!"The police escorted Mildred away, leaving Lydia, still shaken, finally calming down. She sat on the sofa, holding a glass of juice, but her mind was swirling with Mildred's words.She had countless questions she wanted to ask, yet she didn't know where to start.Lambert sat across from her, his expression solemn."You...""You..."They almost spoke simultaneously, but Lambert sighed and said, "Just ask your questions."Lydia set down her juice, her gaze piercing as she locked eyes with Lambert. "What's going on? What do you mean by all this being your design? What did you design, and when did you realize something was wrong with Mildred?"Lambert remained serious. "Lydia, calm down first.""I'm perfectly calm now. I just want to know the truth!" Lydia insisted.With a slight furrow of his brow, Lambert, seeing Lydia's
Lambert reached out and embraced Lydia, gently wiping away the tears from her eyes before solemnly kowtowing to the tombstone three times."Auntie, no! Please allow me to call you Mom too! Mom, my name is Lambert, and I am Lydia's fiancé, soon to be her husband. Although I've never met you, my heart is filled with gratitude towards you. Thank you for bringing Lydia into this world and for raising her so wonderfully. Now, I solemnly request you to entrust Lydia to me. I will take care of her, cherish her, and protect her for the rest of my life, ensuring that no one will ever harm her!"Lydia, upon hearing this, felt her tears, which had just ceased, welling up again.She reached out and held Lambert's hand, her voice slightly hoarse as she spoke, "Mom, I'll be happy. Will you bless us from heaven?"On the tombstone, Natalie's smiling photo seemed to glow with approval, as if she had heard their vows.After paying respects to her mother, Lydia's heart remained unsettled for a long time
"Lambert, at this rate, you could almost switch careers to become a nanny!" Horace teased, noticing how expertly Lambert cradled the baby.Unfazed by his friend's jest, Lambert beamed with happiness. "You wouldn't understand if you don't have kids. Once you get married, you'll know. This is my legacy, and I didn't get to care for Wythe when he was a baby, so I'm determined to be hands-on with Candice."No one could truly grasp this sense of compensation!Horace rolled his eyes, clearly at a loss for words. It was pointless to engage with someone so enamored with fatherhood.While the men gathered to chat, Thera leaned closer to Lydia and whispered, "So, Lydia, are you really back together with Lambert?"Lydia nodded. "Yeah. After everything that happened, I realized I need to cherish every single day. And Lambert is sincere—I can feel it.""That's great!" Thera sighed in relief, finally putting her worries to rest."What about you, Thera? I see you and Andrew getting along quite well!
At this moment, Lambert felt completely at ease. It seemed that Lydia's earlier words were not just talk; she was genuinely ready to give them a chance!A smile crept onto Lambert's lips, but there was no time to think of anything else; he needed to take care of their baby, Wythe. Thanks to the maternal training classes he had attended with Lydia, he had learned a lot about caring for newborns. Gently, he picked up his daughter and quickly checked her diaper, only to find that she had wet it.With nimble hands, he changed her diaper, and the little one fell back asleep. Looking at her innocent face, Lambert's heart melted. This was his child, the result of his and Lydia's love.The baby slept soundly, and Wythe had been temporarily taken away by Bob, who had come to deliver some items. Now, only Lambert and Lydia remained in the room, but Lydia, having slept quite a bit earlier, was no longer drowsy."Are you still feeling unwell?" Seeing Lydia frown slightly, Lambert asked with conce
Lambert glanced at his son's disapproving expression and was momentarily at a loss. "Wythe, you might've looked even more wrinkled than her when you were born, yet look at you now—a handsome young man," he teased, smiling at his daughter. Though wrinkly, he found her to be the most beautiful and precious little girl.Wythe huffed proudly, his lips in a slight pout. "I wasn't this ugly! Besides, you didn't see me when I was a baby." A hint of sadness crossed his face; he hadn't been as lucky as his sister—he hadn't had his dad by his side when he was born.Hearing the touch of bitterness in his son's voice, Lambert immediately understood. Wythe was jealous, understandably so. For all his maturity, Wythe was still just a child. For his first five or six years, he had only his mother and no father. He often envied kids with both parents, and when Lydia finally returned home, her on-again, off-again relationship with Lambert had left Wythe hurt and forced him to grow up faster than other
Lambert paced restlessly in the hallway, nearly losing his mind. Every moment was agonizing, with Lydia's screams from the delivery room piercing his heart. He prided himself on being strong, yet in that instant, he felt an overwhelming urge to flee, especially as her cries of pain echoed through. Angry at himself, he slapped his own face—Lydia was suffering because of him, and he'd never realized how terrifying childbirth could be."Calm down. This is what childbirth is like," a woman nearby said kindly. She was the mother of a little girl, and both she and her husband couldn't help but notice how visibly nervous Lambert was. "You've been through this once before, so you should be able to handle it," she added."Why isn't it over yet? Is she in danger?" Lambert's mind was in turmoil, fighting the urge to rush inside and see Lydia himself.The little girl's father stepped in, attempting to reassure him. "You and your family will be just fine," he said. The man recalled his own frantic
At that moment, Lydia was on the verge of total collapse, as if her entire world had crumbled in an instant, and sorrow overwhelmed her.What had she done? What had she been doing these past days?She had been recklessly indulging in Lambert's affection, without any sense of gratitude or restraint. Now, she regretted her actions deeply. If only she had known this day would come, she would never have argued with Lambert or dismissed his love and efforts out of a misguided sense of pride.All she wanted was for him to be safe, to live happily with her and their children, never to be apart.Lydia's vision blurred as she stood in shock, unable to step closer to the crowd to confirm what had happened. But through a gap, she caught sight of a blood-red stain spreading across the ground. The sight was so jarring that it felt as though her heart had been ripped out of her chest."Mom, are you okay?"Wythe ran over, panting, to see Lydia sitting dazed on the ground, staring at the red stain in
Lambert's words made Wythe roll his eyes, secretly exasperated. What was going on with his dad? Wasn't everything decided? Why was he suddenly backing out at the last moment?Men! Their thoughts are just impossible to figure out!Lambert had indeed changed his mind unexpectedly. He didn't want to deceive Lydia, even if it was just a harmless joke. Something about it felt wrong. Even if it was to bring them closer, lying to her didn't seem right.Wythe's plan had been simple he wanted Lambert to stage an accident, making it seem like he'd been hit by a car. He was certain his mom would show her true feelings; if she still cared for him, there was no way she'd just stand by. It was a good plan, but now that the moment had come, Lambert didn't want to test Lydia this way.People's feelings shouldn't be tested.Wythe grew increasingly anxious. They'd prepared everything, but now his dad was retreating? That wasn't like him at all! Taking advantage of n
Half a month had passed since Lydia's last check-up. Lambert continued caring for Lydia with the same attentiveness, unbothered by her cold attitude towards him. Although her indifference saddened him, he was undeterred; his determination grew in the face of difficulty, a testament to his personality.But little Wythe had had enough. He felt it was time to give his parents a nudge towards reconciliation. Yes, it was his turn to step up!So, one morning, when Lambert went out early to buy groceries as usual, Wythe found an excuse to tag along. Lydia didn't think much of it; over time, she had noticed Lambert's earnest efforts and couldn't deny feeling somewhat touched, even if her heart remained conflicted. Deep down, she feared reopening herself to love, only to be hurt again.After all, "Once bitten, twice shy," as they say. Lydia never saw herself as particularly brave—in fact, in love, she was timid and afraid. She longed for a peaceful, uncomplicated l
Once, Lydia believed she and Lambert would grow old together, inseparable and loyal. But her genuine love had only brought repeated hurt and disappointment. That's why she had fled Nova City, leaving behind everyone she knew, so this time, she refused to open her heart again.Lambert sighed, his tone gentle. He knew Lydia wouldn't easily open up to him again, but he didn't mind; he was willing to wait. Determined, he led her to the prenatal clinic, aware of the many tests ahead—ultrasounds, blood tests, monitoring the baby's heartbeat—a series of over ten examinations. Each department was exceptionally busy, requiring an immense amount of patience.Throughout, Lambert remained unwaveringly attentive, showing no sign of impatience. He stayed by Lydia's side with the eager anticipation of any expectant father, his heart fully in it.Before the ultrasound, Lydia needed to drink water, but Lambert, inexperienced in these matters, hadn't prepared any. She didn't feel inclined to remind him
Happiness, it seems, makes people wish the same for those around them. Like the husband in the next hospital bed—he had the sense to keep quiet the moment he sensed the tension between Lydia and Lambert.Lambert didn't seem to mind Lydia's sudden outburst. He simply took off his suit jacket, now stained with soup, and said regretfully, "The soup spilled, Lydia. I'm afraid you'll have to wait a little longer. I'll have someone bring a new one right away! Why not have a piece of cake to tide you over?"Lambert's calm demeanor only made Lydia feel as if her anger was landing on nothing but soft cotton, frustrating her even more. What was Lambert up to? Was he mocking her on purpose?It was infuriating!Lydia knew her emotions were out of sorts lately. Ever since Lambert left, she hadn't had much of an appetite. When she found out his trip was delayed, everything around her began to irritate her. It was as though a cloud of anger clogged her heart, but she couldn't find a way to let it ou