Odgen's heart-wrenching cry echoed through the air, causing Lambert to shut his eyes in agony. He embraced his father tightly, pleading, "Dad, please don't do this... Mom is still waiting for us..."
As Odgen's emotions began to subside, tears blurred his vision. He looked suddenly aged, stumbling into the emergency room.
Lambert, equally distraught, didn't even glance at Lydia standing nearby. He followed his father inside, his heart heavy.
Tears streamed down his face; this was his mother, who despite opposing his marriage and orchestrating his future, had always loved him.
Nydia, pallid and weak, her gaze unfocused, lips drained of color, knew her time was near. She summoned all her strength to catch Lambert's eye.
Lambert dropped to his knees beside her bed, bowing his head deeply. "Mom, I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!"
Regret consumed Lambert. If only he hadn't been so headstrong, or if he had temporarily accepted Odelia's conditions, perhap
Frustrated, Wythe had no choice but to turn to Thera for help. Perhaps as an adult herself, she could comfort his mom properly.Thera arrived shortly after receiving the call. Just minutes ago, Lambert had called her asking to take good care of Lydia.As she pondered over what was going on with this family, Wythe called again, making Thera realize something serious had happened.Arriving at the villa past nine in the morning, Thera brought breakfast, knocking on the door.Wythe answered; the mature child's eyes welled up as he choked out, "Godmother, Mom came back and went straight into her room. She looks like she's been hurt..."Thera hugged Wythe and ruffled his hair. "I understand, Wythe. Go have your breakfast. I'll take care of your mom."Wythe nodded obediently, while Thera knocked on Lydia's bedroom door.Inside, Lydia sat motionless by the door, eyes vacant, tear streaks dried on her face. She curled up, consumed by profound
"Alright, silly girl, you need to understand. His mother just passed away, and everyone's emotions are raw. I heard his father still hasn't woken up! Lambert might have been acting impulsively. You can't let that define you, okay?" Thera said, trying to console Lydia.Lydia nodded, clutching Thera's sleeve like a lost child. "Thera, tell me what to do. I'll do whatever you say."Sighing softly, Thera replied, "Okay, first, let's get you something to eat. Then you can rest a bit. In the afternoon, we'll go to the hospital together to see Lambert, alright?"Lydia eagerly agreed, "Okay! I'll go eat right now."Relieved that Lydia was cooperative, Thera thought to herself.It's good she's still willing to listen. If she retreats into herself completely, I won't know what to do.After lunch, Thera accompanied Lydia to the hospital where Ogden was in a VIP room.Lambert was just returning with lunch for his father when they arrived. His exp
"Lambert, do you really hate me that much? Even if I told you that what happened with your mother was unintentional, you still won't believe me?"As the elevator was about to reach the ground floor, Lydia suddenly blocked the door and quickly pressed the button to go back up.At the very least, this would give her a few more moments with Lambert.Since the incident, Lydia had been in a daze.She couldn't believe she had actually shot Nydia, couldn't believe the event had made headlines, and couldn't believe that because of Nydia's death, Lambert seemed like a completely different person.The warmth and passion of the past were gone, and his attitude towards her was even colder and more ruthless than when he had initially lost his memory.Facing Lydia's questioning, Lambert pressed his lips tightly together. It wasn't until the taste of blood filled his mouth from biting himself that he came back to his senses.God knows how much he wa
Andrew felt frustrated. Maybe he shouldn't have distanced himself from Lydia's affairs to avoid his own feelings.He loved this woman deeply, and even though this love seemed humble and foolish, he couldn't ignore her.Seeing the guilt in Andrew's eyes, Thera sighed inwardly. Fate was indeed cruel.If Lydia had fallen in love with this gentle man in front of her, perhaps there wouldn't have been so many uncontrollable events. But love is something that no one can control.After Andrew assured them he would take good care of Lydia, Thera left with Wythe.Andrew stayed quietly by Lydia's side, his eyes never leaving her face.Lydia's sleep was restless.Her brows were furrowed in pain, and her eyes were tightly shut, with long lashes casting a faint shadow under her eyes, adding a touch of fragility to her appearance."Lambert... Lambert... Don't, don't leave me..."Suddenly, Lydia mumbled in her sleep, tears rolling down
Lambert was also scared. He feared losing control of his heart. Watching her suffer made him hate himself immensely.If he had saved his mother in time, none of the subsequent tragedies would have occurred.They would still be a happy family. But now...Lambert opened his eyes, looking at his father, who seemed to have aged several years.Recalling his mother's dying wishes, he felt life was unbearably torturous for the first time."What's wrong?"Noticing Lambert's gaze, Ogden glanced at him. Lambert lowered his eyes. "Dad, you need to take care of yourself.""Don't worry. I promised your mother I would keep a close watch on you. Besides, if I join her now, no one will remember our past anymore."Ogden's words made Lambert feel a deep sadness. Sometimes he envied his parents' love story.From meeting to falling in love, their journey was almost seamless. But when it came to him and Lydia, it was filled with obstacles.
Nydia's death left Hiram sighing deeply. It was especially shocking that they were brought down by a young woman.When Odgen arrived, Hiram welcomed him courteously. However, he seemed to anticipate their purpose and thus called Solomon back.The transaction proceeded smoothly. The two families had always been on good terms, and Hiram was genuinely sorrowful over Nydia's death.He instructed his grandson not to take undue advantage. However, the Arliss family wasn't running a charity; after negotiation, they accepted 6% of the shares, neither more nor less.This way, the bond between the families remained intact, and new cooperation was established, making the arrangement beneficial for both sides.After the deal was sealed, Thera returned and, seeing Lambert at her home, couldn't hide her displeasure. She hadn't forgotten that Lydia was still in the hospital.Thera walked straight up to Lambert. "Can we talk?"Before Lambert could re
"No!" Miles rebutted, "We're just tired of Odelia. I believe Newman will understand. Besides, we've been brothers for years. I don't believe he would abandon us for a woman."The youth tried to argue further, but Silvester pulled his sleeve, making him fall silent.The atmosphere grew tense. Miles sighed, "I know it's been tough lately, but our gang has just been formed. Any internal changes now could be detrimental.""If we don't make changes, the gang won't be ours anymore. What's the point? You guys might be okay with following a woman, but I'm not!"The youth with the arm injury, Baldwin, stubbornly persisted."Baldwin!" Miles gave him a warning look.Baldwin clenched his teeth, filled with resentment. After some brief first aid, they followed Miles back to their secret base.Their base was an underground bar, doubling as a casino, inaccessible to outsiders without an introduction.Odelia and Newman were there at the moment
“Yes, Newman, we are not convinced! This woman is clearly weakening our power!”“Newman, even if we did something wrong, it doesn't warrant a death sentence, does it?”Several people cried out indignantly, causing Newman a headache. He was most annoyed by these matters.To be honest, if it weren't for Odelia's help, he wouldn't have gotten to his current position at all.A lot of the gang's affairs were handled by Odelia.Thinking of this, Newman waved his hand decisively, "Odelia, since you started this, why don't you handle it? But I have one request: spare their lives. They were once my brothers in life and death."Odelia glanced at the group with a half-smile, "Don't worry, Newman. I'll take good care of them.""Alright, I'll leave this to you then. I'm going downstairs to have some fun!"As Newman spoke, he pushed the door open and left. Odelia's smile then turned cold."You really have some guts, huh? Daring to get Newman to throw me off in front of me? Now tell me, how should I
"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