In a suburban villa, the sound of shattering glass shattered the morning tranquility, followed by a piercing scream."Get out! Ron, just get out!"In the room, Maggie sat pale-faced on the bed, her long black hair veiling her resentful eyes, resembling a demon straight from hell.The shattered glass and spilled milk on the floor turned the once tidy room into a mess.Ron, with a grim expression and traces of scratched skin around his mouth, didn't utter a word, simply turned and left.In the downstairs living room, Harlan was reading the newspaper while Mildred instructed the maid to set the breakfast table.Seeing Ron coming down, Mildred's expression changed. "Is Maggie throwing another fit?"Ron nodded slightly, sitting silently beside Harlan. Mildred refrained from scolding upon noticing the bloodstains on Ron's lips, instead rising from her seat. "I'll go check on her."Ron lowered his gaze, masking his impatience.Since the miscarriage incident, Maggie's temper had become increa
Lydia had barely stepped out of the company gates with the prosecutors when she was surrounded by a swarm of reporters."Miss Gilford, we heard that you obtained the management rights of the G Group through bribery of high officials. Is it true?""Miss Gilford, you just concluded one lawsuit not long ago, and now you're being reported again. What exactly is the reason? Can you tell us the truth?""Miss Gilford, with your frequent involvement in various lawsuits, is it because of your unethical behavior?"...Throughout the barrage of questions, Lydia remained silent.The lead prosecutor gestured for the reporters to step back and stated impartially, "We're just requesting her cooperation for the investigation. It hasn't been confirmed that she's guilty. Please choose your words carefully."Observing coldly, Lydia understood that this matter was far from simple.Having recently taken over the company, she hadn't offended anyone. So what was the motive behind this report?A thought flas
When Lydia turned to face Gordon, his slightly chubby face showed no sign of embarrassment; instead, he spoke candidly, "Lydia, although I want to support you, just take a look at what has happened since you returned to the country? The company has already undergone restructuring once and can't afford any more turmoil. This is a time when we need to maintain steady growth, yet your actions during this period have disappointed me greatly."Lydia's face paled at his words, but she tightly pursed her lips, though her eyes sparkled unusually bright, seemingly unaffected.Gordon continued, "Lydia, although we didn't discuss this matter with you beforehand, our intention was also for the sake of the company. So, I believe you should understand our decision."Taking a deep breath, Lydia remained calm as she replied, "What exactly is this 'decision' you speak of? As the company's ultimate decision-maker, I have the right to know, don't I?""Ha-ha-ha!" Harlan suddenly laughed, "Ultimate decisi
Harlan remained seated on the ground, wailing, while Ron wanted to go help him but hesitated, not knowing what to do.He silently retreated a few steps, lowering his presence.He knew it wasn't a good idea to speak up at a time like this; it was wiser to protect oneself!Lambert didn't bother with them anymore. He reached out and pulled Lydia's shoulder into his grasp, furrowing his brows as he looked at her slightly swollen face. "Are you okay?"Lydia shook her head gently. "It's nothing serious. Why are you here?"Lambert snorted, "Knowing that there are some pests with no sense of shame! Of course, I have to come to help you!"Lydia smiled at his words, but the movement of her lips caused pain from the wound, making her gasp, "Ah..."Lambert's face immediately darkened to the extreme.He stepped forward, raising a foot to stomp down on Harlan, who was trying to get up from the ground, looking down at him like he was seeing a lowly ant."If you continue to challenge my bottom line,
Lydia wasn't sure how long she had been crying.All she knew was that she eventually drifted off to sleep in Lambert's arms, and when she woke up again, she was back in her rented apartment.The soft sunlight gently coaxed Lydia's eyes open. Perhaps from crying for too long, her eyes still felt sore.She shielded them from the slightly harsh light with her hand and turned her head, only to find Wythe looking at her with a worried expression, his big eyes blinking anxiously."Mom..." Lydia's voice came out hoarse.Rarely, Wythe's nose tingled, and he leaned in, asking with concern, "Mom! Are you feeling better?"Lydia instinctively wrapped her arm around Wythe's small head and kissed his soft black hair. "I'm fine now.""Mom, you shouldn't cry for unrelated people in the future. I've heard about what happened. It's just a company, not worth you worrying so much!" Wythe's dissatisfaction was evident.He thought Lydia must have cried because someone at work had bullied her, but he was re
Inside the Gilford mansion, Harlan sat on the sofa with his hands bandaged, his face full of gloom.Mildred peeled oranges for him, muttering, "I told you, Lydia has no conscience. No matter what, you're her biological father. Yet, she let an outsider publicly beat you like this. It's simply outrageous!""Yeah, Dad, we can't just let this go! We must ruin that bitch!" Maggie's thin face twisted with resentment, while Ron sat next to her, lost in thought.Although their marital relationship seemed distant, they had to temporarily set aside their differences and unite against Lydia.After all, Maggie still had feelings for this man, and she had devoted so many years of her youth to him. If she let him leave so easily, it would be unfair to herself.Getting off track, they were now discussing how to deal with Lydia."Well, I have an idea!" Ron, who had been silent for a while, suddenly spoke up, drawing the attention of the other three present.Harlan frowned, "Just spit it out! No need
On the other side, Harlan entered alongside Vanessa, and both parties to the lawsuit were present.The trial officially began!The presiding judge made opening remarks, and then it was time for arguments from both sides.Vanessa was the first to stand up. "Your Honor, my client Mr. Harlan accuses Miss Lydia, former chairman of G Group, of embezzlement and colluding with outsiders to drain the company. We request the court to adjudicate and strip Miss Gilford of her position as G Group's boss, transferring the shares to my client Mr. Harlan!"As Vanessa spoke, Jarek immediately countered, "Please present relevant evidence, otherwise we reserve the right to accuse you of defamation!""We certainly have evidence!" Vanessa produced a file bag. "Inside are the evidences of Miss Lydia colluding with outsiders. Judges, please have a look!"Items were taken out from the file bag, surprisingly some were just candid photos of Lydia and Lambert, showing them holding hands intimately, gazing into
Click, click...In an instant, the media was abuzz!The whole room seemed to boil over, almost losing control. Lambert adjusted his breath as he held the roses, taking each step towards Lydia's position.At the sight of Lambert, Lydia's heart nearly stopped.Could this be the surprise he mentioned?Meanwhile, the attention of the crowd shifted to the group following Lambert: Horace, the chairman of LifeCrest Medical Group; Lennon, the heir of Horizon Entertainment Group; and the renowned lawyer Kevin.Goodness, what were these titans gathering for?In the dazzling gaze of the media and audience, Kevin approached the judges, who reluctantly chuckled and seemed to agree to his request.Meanwhile, all attention was drawn to Lambert and his entourage!"Go get her, brother! I'm rooting for you!" Horace patted Lambert's shoulder, while Lennon gave him a thumbs-up.Then, they both stepped aside, assuming the roles of friends and family. Wythe emerged from behind them, winked at Lambert, and
"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