Lydia hung up the phone, her palms sweaty.HM Building was merely a hundred meters away from the film crew's location, indicating the perpetrator's meticulous planning.Lydia's nerves were on edge, but she forced herself to stay calm. She couldn't delay, couldn't call the police, yet couldn't stand idly by.After a moment of contemplation, Lydia messaged Andrew, "Andrew, received news about Wythe. HM Building rooftop! Avoid rash actions for now, keep in touch!"With the message sent, Lydia felt slightly more composed. Andrew would handle it properly upon receiving the information.But now, she needed to rush to Wythe's side to stabilize the situation.Indeed, Andrew received the message, but he hadn't checked his phone in time.And just moments later, Lydia disappeared, sending him into a panic.Considering Wythe was already kidnapped, who's to say Lydia wasn't taken too?Andrew abandoned the confrontation with Roxanne and the others, urgently searching for Lydia.Roxanne, inexplicabl
The kidnapper urged Lydia forward, leaving her with no choice but to slowly edge towards the rooftop's edge.As Lydia walked, she continued to engage the kidnapper."Sir, if you're determined to kill me, may I ask why? We're strangers. Why do you want my life? If it's money you seek, I can give you whatever you want. You may not know my wealth, but I assure you, it surpasses what your employers offer. Who you serve matters less than the payment, doesn't it?"The kidnapper hesitated for a moment, his expression shifting.He snapped at Lydia, "Stop talking nonsense! Move! Jump!"As the kidnapper spoke, his knife grazed Wythe's skin, leaving a faint trail of blood. Lydia's eyes reddened. "Don't hurt my son!""Shut up, or I'll cut off his ear!" the kidnapper threatened.Gritting her teeth, Lydia approached the rooftop's edge as instructed. The wind tousled her hair, threatening to push her over at any moment.Wythe, wide-eyed and muffled, whimpered continuously.Standing there, soaked in
Lydia's heart was heavy with sorrow as she looked at her pitiful yet adorable child. It felt like her heart was being scorched.Wythe shouted, "Mom, don't listen to him! If you die, I'll jump down too!"Wythe's eyes, dark as ink, were filled with despair.He even hated himself a little—if he weren't a child, he wouldn't be in such a helpless situation!Just as mother and son were on the brink of despair, something swiftly flew toward Wythe.Suddenly, a sharp scream pierced the air, and the knife poised at Wythe's neck clattered to the ground."Ah..."Before Wythe could react, two tall figures rushed towards him. Through his tear-blurred vision, he made out the familiar faces."Uncle Fraine..."Andrew quickly freed Wythe from his bonds. His wrists were bruised and swollen from the prolonged restraint.Anger etched on Andrew's face, he kicked the kidnapper hard, sending him crashing into a wall, where he slumped unconscious.Breathing a sigh of relief, Andrew saw Wythe exhale deeply, re
Lydia murmured softly, and Lambert's heart tightened with a feeling he could only describe as heartache."Lydia, we don't know if Wythe has any other injuries. It might be best to take him to the hospital for a check-up. I've already called the police about the kidnapper,"Andrew interjected, breaking the tense atmosphere between Lydia and Lambert.Lydia stood up, sincerely thanking Andrew. "Andrew, thank you so much this time!""You're welcome, Lydia. Your safety is the most important thing. Do you want to wait here for the police or go to the hospital first?"Lydia thought for a moment. "Let's wait for the police. If Odelia is behind this, there will be evidence."Lambert suddenly spoke up, "Can I handle the follow-up investigation on this matter?"Lydia raised an eyebrow. "You? What do you want to do? Cover for Odelia?"Lydia was like a wary porcupine, her words sharp and defensive. But instead of getting angry, Lambert felt a surge of tenderness because he knew Lydia was just tryi
Odelia smiled with a touch of emotion. "Thank you, Uncle and Auntie.""We're family, no need to be so polite," Nydia said, her eyes focused on Odelia's belly, brimming with happiness.The more Lambert listened, the more uncomfortable he felt.He abruptly stood up from his chair."I have some work to do in the study," he announced and left the room.The supposedly warm atmosphere only made him feel stifled and uneasy.Back in his study, he opened his laptop and looked at the photos of Wythe and Lydia, finally finding some peace.Meanwhile, Nydia sensed something was off. "What's wrong with Lambert? He seems upset."Odelia's eyes flickered as she spoke with a hint of grievance, "I think I know why.""What do you mean?"Odelia paused, her expression somber. "Lately, Lambert has been paying a lot of attention to Lydia and her son. Uncle, Auntie, I think this situation isn't good. If Lambert regains his memory, he'll blame us.""What?" Nydia dropped her sketchbook in shock. "Odelia, tell m
Lydia sighed, feeling a bit embarrassed. "I should be the one apologizing for wrongly accusing you. I'm really sorry. I wasn't intentionally angry at you; I was just frantic at the time. Now that I think about it, Felix was hit and confused, and might have misheard someone talking about you, Roxanne.""Alright, enough with the apologies. It's tiring to hear," Jerome said with a smile.Everyone laughed, and Jerome felt relieved. This laughter seemed to dissolve any lingering grudges.He had just received definite news that Lydia's son had been kidnapped, and one of the rescuers was Lambert!So, Jerome had carefully explained the situation to his sister, hoping she could improve her relationship with Lydia and not see her as an enemy.What truly made Roxanne set aside her grievances and happily come to apologize was learning that Lydia and Lambert were indeed married, and Wythe was their child.She had heard this from her brother before but ha
Lambert drove directly to the Halsey residence, his lips pressed into a tight line, and his eyes deep with suppressed anger.His mind was a chaotic mix of emotions: rage, disappointment, confusion towards his parents, and guilt, heartache, and self-blame for Lydia and her son.His emotions were teetering on the edge of collapse.The Maybach sped along the road, kicking up dust. The wind blowing through the open window ruffled his hair and slightly calmed his nerves.A journey that normally took half an hour, Lambert completed in under twenty minutes.At the Halsey home, Odelia was with Nydia, looking at baby clothes. Based on the due date, the baby was expected around the New Year, so Nydia had custom-made festive winter clothes for the child, even though they might not fit.When Lambert walked in, Odelia was surprised but then smiled.She had mentioned the arrival of the custom baby clothes to him yesterday, suggesting he come home e
Lambert's gaze was icy. "If she's so prone to agitation, then Odelia's pregnancy is really a difficult one to protect. If that's the case, she might as well just go to the hospital and get an abortion. It would save her a lot of trouble!""You insolent fool! What nonsense are you spouting? Are you trying to drive me and your mother to our graves?" Odgen's face turned livid with rage, while Odelia bit her lip and remained silent.She hadn't forgotten that she was pretending to be in distress due to her pregnancy and couldn't argue with Lambert like a normal person.Lambert remained indifferent. "Odelia, there's something else I want to warn you about: secrets have a way of coming out. Don't think you can hide everything forever."With that, Lambert strode away, driving off swiftly from the estate.He didn't notice that after he left, Odelia, terrified by his words, actually fainted.The estate plunged into chaos. Nydia and the others, unaware
"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