In the elegant café, the air was filled with intoxicating aroma, and the melodious piano music intertwined with the scent of coffee, hovering in this cozy space, making the sunny afternoon all the more delightful.Sitting by the window, a middle-aged man kept glancing towards the entrance.Every time the wind chime hanging on the door rang, he would subconsciously look over, giving the impression that he was awaiting a lover's arrival.But in reality, he was only waiting for his daughter, Lydia.Yes, this man was none other than Lydia's father, Harlan.He had been waiting here for over an hour, his face displaying impatience and restrained anger, though he managed to suppress it when he looked at the documents on the table.Half an hour later, the wind chime at the café's entrance rang again, and Harlan looked up to see a familiar yet distant figure—his daughter, Lydia.Today, Lydia was dressed in professional attire, her long hair elegantly tied up, exuding a savvy and capable demean
"Let go, you're going to break my hand!" Harlan struggled and howled, then started cursing, "Who are you? What's your relationship with my daughter that you're hitting me?"Lambert sneered and released Harlan's wrist.Harlan stumbled, thinking he had freed himself, only to be grabbed by a tall man behind Lambert, his loyal bodyguard, Bob."You're hitting my girlfriend, so naturally, it concerns me! But since you claim to be Lydia's father, I can't lay a hand on you myself. Bob, TAKE CARE OF him."As a longtime bodyguard to Lambert, Bob understood what to do with just a glance from his boss. He lifted Harlan and headed toward the alley behind the café.Harlan was about to yell when a sharp pain shot through him. His jaw was dislocated, his eyes widened in realization of the trouble he was in. Who was this cold-hearted man? When did Lydia get involved with such a person?Before Harlan could make sense of it, a barrage of punches rained down on him. He felt pain all over his body, but he
Silent all the way, Lambert dropped Lydia off, and the atmosphere was somewhat awkward.Lydia felt inexplicably disappointed. She hadn't meant to, but something felt off. Suddenly, thoughts of Wythe crossed her mind.Fidgeting with her phone, Lydia debated whether she should call and apologize.Although Lambert hadn't said anything, she felt like she had hurt him."Mom! You've been staring at your phone for half an hour. Are you going to make a call?" Wythe's voice snapped Lydia back to reality.She awkwardly tucked her phone into her pocket. "No, I was just checking the time. Are you hungry?"Wythe squinted slightly, sensing that something was off. His mom had seemed distracted since she got back today, and her mood didn't seem great.Was it something to do with Dad?After a moment of thought, Wythe reached into Lydia's pocket and took out her phone. "Mom, you go cook. I'll hold onto your phone."Lydia paused, "Okay, but no games. They're bad for your eyes.""I know."As Lydia headed
A week later, at the headquarters of G Group, Harlan, accompanied by Ron and Maggie, quietly entered the company through a side door.Inside the door, a middle-aged man in his fifties had obviously been waiting for a long time.Seeing Harlan and his companions appear, the man hurriedly approached them. "Sir, you finally came. You had me worried sick. I thought the plan was canceled!"This man was Kent, the CFO of G Group, and also the "inside man" buried by Harlan and his team within the company.Previously, with the help of the prominent lawyer Kevin, Lydia successfully reclaimed her mother's inheritance and inherited the renamed G Group.Lydia managed to find a highly reputable manager to assist her in running the company, and immediately restructured the entire organization, replacing almost all the top executives who were formerly allied with Harlan and his team.However, Lydia chose not to touch Kent. Firstly, the company's finances required meticulous scrutiny, and Kent had pers
Seeing Harlan stumbling, Maggie quickly went forward to support him, casting a look of resentment and bitterness towards Lydia."Lydia, how could you do this? He's your father!"Lydia sneered at her. "Who gave you the right to speak? What are you? Just a bastard daughter, making a scene here?"Maggie's face flushed with anger. "Lydia! You've gone too far! We're talking about Dad here. Stop bringing up irrelevant things!""Is he mute? Does he need you to speak for him?""I'm Dad's daughter too. Why can't I speak for him? Moreover, you slandered Dad, even disregarding family ties to drag him into court. Can't others say a word about it?"Lydia looked at Maggie, full of righteous indignation. "Whether he's been slandered, you know in your heart. As for your words, save them for the courtroom. I can't wait to hear what you'll say there!"Maggie was at a loss for words, enraged, wanting to grab Lydia's face, but Lydia suddenly pushed her away. "Maggie, don't blame me for not warning you. I
A pair of slender legs, wrapped in straight trousers, stepped out of the car first. Then, a chill breeze greeted, yet it was oddly refreshing.The newcomer had a cold and aloof demeanor, with tightly pursed lips and sharp eyes that seemed to pierce through one's soul, making people inexplicably tremble with fear.Lambert got out of the car and slowly walked towards Lydia. His icy gaze fell on Ron like a knife, and his cold voice carried an air of undeniable authority."Let her go!"Ron's heart skipped a beat. The intense pressure made his legs tremble, but he still mustered the courage to face Lambert head-on. "Who are you? Why should I listen to you?"Lambert narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze lowering, his deep eyes glancing at Ron. "Do you know who you're talking to?"Ron felt his hair stand on end. The intense anger in the man's eyes seemed to indicate that he could send Ron to his grave with just a look!He clenched his fists, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. He was sho
Lydia didn't think much of it, simply nodding slightly."It's a good thing you showed up in time today. I never expected Ron to become so shameless. Not long ago, he was swearing that Maggie was the one he loved the most. Now, he's playing this game. It's disgusting!"Seeing Lambert silent, Lydia felt a bit embarrassed. "Sorry for letting you hear all that.""It's okay!" But he wouldn't let Ron off easy!Lambert lowered his gaze, a cold light flashing in his eyes.Lydia thought he didn't want to hear about it, so she didn't say anything else.Music flowed gently. Lydia nestled obediently in Lambert's arms and drifted off to sleep, feeling the warmth of his embrace. When she woke up, the car had stopped in front of an antique-style restaurant.A warm breath brushed against Lydia's lips briefly before departing.A voice, as melodious as a cello, followed, "Awake? Let's get off the car!"Lydia looked up and saw the sign "Eleganza" hanging in front of her.She was surprised. She had heard
Exquisite dishes were quickly served, most of which Lydia had never seen before. Taking a bite, she was pleasantly surprised to the core.Seeing the satisfaction and joy in her eyes, Lambert's gaze softened with tenderness. He was willing to do everything he could to protect the smile of this woman in front of him.By the time the two of them were done eating and drinking at "Eleganza," it was almost dusk!"Goodness, we've been eating for over three hours!" Lydia sighed.Indeed, had it been over three hours? Eating, chatting, time just flew by unnoticed.Especially seeing Lydia seeming to enjoy the food at Eleganza so much, Lambert couldn't help but want to order every dish for her to try. Consequently, Lydia inevitably ended up overeating.Seeing Lydia's embarrassed face, Lambert felt in high spirits. He took her hand, "Let's take a stroll nearby. The scenery here is decent!"Lydia nodded shyly, knowing that Lambert was accompanying her to aid digestion.The two walked hand in hand o
"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