Upon hearing that, Xavia instantly gulped. She had completely forgotten about that! It took her a while, but she eventually muttered, “…While it was true that I slept with him three years ago, I was pregnant for about ten months so that age is normal for Yulia…” …A reasonable explanation. If only she hadn’t mentioned that Yulia was three, he would’ve believed her too. Sadly, despite how innocent she seemed, it appeared that even Xavia was capable of lying… Worried that he’d continue asking about the topic, she quickly added, “A-anyway… I don’t have an issue with putting Yulia under your name… That way, we can be a true family of four…” Though he would’ve usually been overjoyed to hear that, the fact that she was potentially lying made his heart hurt too much for him to be anything but frustrated. Still, at the end of the day, she was still a victim… It appeared that he needed to start making his own investigations. After returning to the villa, Zivon called Nathan to the study
By the time evening came, the ashtray was piled with cigarette butts. It was only when the house was brimming with the smell of smoke that Zivon got up and headed over to the pool. With how angry he still was, he was worried that he’d end up venting it elsewhere if he wasn’t careful… As for Xavia, she was together with Yulia and Maison. She had only learned that Yulia had gone to the hospital earlier, and feeling worried, she immediately asked, “Are you feeling better now Yulia…?” Feeling bad for making her mother worry, Yulia smiled as she said, “I am! Uncle Xenos said I didn’t need to take any injections as long as I took some medicine! With that said, I’m feeling much better now!” Knowing how capable Zayne was as a doctor, the relieved Xavia replied, “…I’m glad. That aside, make sure to watch what you eat in the future… You know how your body is weaker than other kids.” “Got it, Mommy!” declared the child as she promised her mother. Wendy herself couldn’t help but say, “It
How long had he been there?! Watching as Xavia struggled to find her words, Wendy was prompted to say, “Does it matter, Zivon? It’s all in the past… Also, could you please help me rub my back, Xavia…? We can do it in my room…” “A-alright,” replied Xavia as she quickly scurried off with Wendy… and once the coast was clear, Xavia sighed before whispering, “Thank you, Aunt…” “No worries, I know how calculative my boy is… That aside, since it’s a thing in the past, there really isn’t anything wrong with telling him about it… I hope that you’ll one day be able to tell him, alright?” replied Wendy in a gentle voice, causing Xavia to blush awkwardly. If there really was a third person, then she would’ve told him the truth for now… Alas, the father was Zivon himself! Just thinking about his words back then sent a shiver down her spine… Shaking the thought off, Xavia then said, “…I understand, I’ll talk to him about it once the time is right.” Once she was done giving Wendy a massage
The second she opened her eyes, she was greeted by the sight of Zivon’s dangerous, wolfish eyes…! Feeling like he could devour her at any moment, the shivering Xavia stuttered, “I-I was already half asleep… Do you mind…” After staring at her for a good while, Zivon eventually asked, “…Even if you refuse to tell me who he is, could you at least tell me why you’re so reluctant to share?” Zivon needed to know. Was there something shady about that person? Or was she simply reluctant to be open with him? Knowing full well that Zivon was close to blowing up, Xavia clenched her fists as she replied, “…I-it’s… all in the past… Let’s not let that affect our relationship… Please…?” “And how would it affect us? As I said, we need to be honest with each other to make this work.” …So that was what he was referring to earlier that day! Gulping slightly, the nervous woman replied, “I-I mean, just look at how concerned about it you already are… Does it even matter if you know or not…?” “It
In the end, Xavia decided to sleep in, and she only awoke at twelve the next day. After getting out of bed, she couldn’t help but notice that the villa was eerily quiet… Quickly washing up, she then headed downstairs, only to see Wendy seated on the couch alone. Approaching the old woman who was peeling lotus seeds, Xavia asked, “Um… Aunt? Where are Von and the others?” Seeming to be in a good mood, Wendy replied, “The boy’s gone to work, and he’s even brought Maison and Yulia along. He said that you didn’t sleep well last night, so he told me not to wake you up.” …Couldn’t he have used a less suggestive phrase?! That aside… even though he was angry, he still kept it all in, all while taking care of the kids and his mother… Hell, he had even made sure that she got enough sleep. With how considerate he was being, Xavia found it hard not to feel guilty… If only she hadn’t lied about being Jenna that night… Would things have gone far differently? At the very least, it would’ve pre
Looking as pale as a ghost, she slowly shook her head and murmured, “…I’m fine… I probably just didn’t get enough sleep. I think I’ll take a short nap, so please wake me up once we’ve arrived…” It was most probably her anemia acting up, right…? Or the fatigue from her period…? Regardless, Wade’s gaze fell a little as he replied, “…Got it.” He really didn’t like doing all this, but for Sophia’s sake, he needed to…! Following that, Xavia dozed off as the car continued making its way toward the factory… It was about two hours later when Xavia finally woke up again, and upon realizing that they were still in the car, she couldn’t help but ask, “…We still haven’t arrived…?” “Oh, we’re already here, though you were sleeping so soundly that I didn’t want to wake you up. Don’t worry, Teacher is taking his afternoon break as well, so now’s the perfect time for us to head in,” explained Wade, prompting Xavia to awkwardly scratch the back of her head. Just why was she feeling so sleep
Following another sigh, Harold said, “You young people really have too much energy… On one hand, you’re too busy getting worried about telling him about something from the past… And on the other hand, the boy is busy sulking since he has too little patience. To me, at least, all this drama is for nothing. Just picture how things went for me and your grandmother and you’ll be able to see just how blissful you two currently are.” His words reminded Xavia of just how difficult it had been for her to reconcile with Zivon back then. She truly wanted to cherish him now, but… At the same time, she was worried that she’d lose him forever if she told him the truth now. Since she wasn’t saying anything, Harold added, “I don’t really know what’s bothering you so much, but I believe you should just give him the whole story. He’s not really completely at fault since there shouldn’t be any secrets between lovers, you know? Knowing that boy, he’s probably extremely anxious to learn the truth. Wit
Back in the lab, a middle-aged woman wearing a typical chef’s uniform could be heard saying, “I’ve spoken to her as you’ve told me to, Young Master Burton.” The forty-year-old woman was the lab’s nutritionist, and despite her age, she was gifted with a lovely voice. In fact, she used to be a voice actress, which was why she was capable of speaking in an array of voices. Putting all that aside, she couldn’t help but wonder why Zivon had told her to do that to Xavia. Hadn’t the two just started dating? And hadn’t their relationship been going smoothly before this? Why this sudden quarrel? Since Zivon wasn’t replying, she was prompted to add, “…You know, women are particularly sensitive when it comes to matters like these, so you really shouldn’t use such tactics on her… Instead, you should talk it out with her, otherwise misunderstandings will surely arise, thus leading to far worse situations…” Staring at her from his seat, his gaze fell for a moment… and in the end, he indifferen
Staring in shock at the kneeling man, Yulia mustered her remaining sanity as she replied, “B-but you’re younger-” “Even if that’s the case, doesn’t that mean that I’m much more ‘capable’ than your older pursuers…?” …Why were his words so suggestive all of a sudden?! Forcing herself to calm down, she took a deep breath before saying, “…Elliot, I’m not sure what spurred this decision, but… I’m not the one for you. Please find someone your age. I’m sorry.” After saying that, she strode straight for the car… but before she could start the engine, she couldn’t help but notice how desolate he looked standing under the pouring rain… Clenching her fists, it took her a while to finally sigh and walk back to him… “…Are you really sure about this?” asked Yulia, much to Elliot’s delight. “I am! Please! Give me a chance! You won’t regret it!” …When he put it that way, all Yulia could do was help him up before finally deciding to return his kiss… Sure, things had taken a sudden, unex
She stared in horror as he removed his shirt right there and then! “W-what are you doing?!” yelped the startled woman as she quickly looked the other way. “…Huh? I mean, I’m drenched, so…” “E-even so, you shouldn’t change right in front of me!” “…Yulia, we bathed together as children… It’s not like you haven’t seen everything already…” “Y-you can’t compare that to this situation…!” “Fine, fine, I… Um… Go cook, I guess… I’ll go get a change upstairs first…” muttered Elliot as he headed upstairs. Yulia herself had to try her best to calm down! After all, Elliot had been plaguing her mind in the past few days, and… she even had dreams where he had… …No! She couldn’t be thinking about such things! She needed to cook! Maybe that would help get her mind out of the gutter! Once that was done, she’d leave and finally start devising a plan to get rid of him…! As Yulia scurried off, Elliot himself was currently staring at an old photo that showed him eating some candy in Yulia’
Just as she had arrived at her car, the president of the Halls Group suddenly walked up to her, a bouquet in hand! The Halls Group had collaborated several times with the Burtons before, and because of that, she was well acquainted with the man. Sadly, he had also proposed to her on multiple occasions… and though she kept rejecting him, he never seemed to get the hint! “There you are, Miss Burton… Since you’re off work, I was wondering if you’d join me for dinner tonight…” asked the charming man. Feeling awkward, she was just about to come up with an excuse when Elliot suddenly grabbed her by the waist and said, “Oh? Another one of your admirers, Yulia…? Sorry, but she already has a boyfriend, my man. If that doesn’t deter you enough, then you should know that she prefers her partners younger. Now please leave.” Startled to hear that, the man glanced at Yulia, his eyes begging for an explanation… Yulia herself was eager to just escape this embarrassing situation, but before s
With that tale done, it was now time to return to Yulia’s story… Ever since she was a child, she had undergone countless hardships with her mother… and even after she was able to reunite with her father, things didn’t go much easier from there. To make matters worse, Fabiola ended up getting kidnapped for the longest time, resulting in Frank ending up the way he was today… Because of all that, it only made sense that she’d mature much sooner than others her age, and unlike the naïve girl she used to be, she was an extremely competent woman today. Alas, because of how used she became with working, she soon lost the urge to find herself a romantic interest… Things continued that way until… Well, that time that Elliot… …Wait, what was she thinking?! He was younger than her, for heaven’s sake! Quickly shaking her head, she attempted to force herself to concentrate on work again… But before long, a knock was heard on the door. After being allowed in, the department manager entered t
Knowing that there was no point in keeping things a secret anymore, Rea took a deep breath before saying, “…Alright, so… The truth is, I’ve always been highly competent, but… I’ve been pretending to be useless just so that you’d eventually marry me… The trip my parents are taking… That was my suggestion too…” Feeling speechless, it took Frank a long while to reply, “…So you weren’t really drunk when you did all that last night?” Pursing her lips, Rea awkwardly muttered, “…I wasn’t… Luna suggested it, and since it sounded like a good idea to accelerate things…” …Fucking hell, to think that he had fallen straight into her trap without even putting up a fight! Watching as he glowered at her, Rea gulped before adding, “A-anyway, now that we’re married and there’s potentially a baby in my belly, you won’t divorce me, right…?” “…Oh, believe me when I say that divorce is the easy way out! From today onward, I’m making you pay for your actions for the rest of your life!” Fast forwa
Fast forward to the next morning, Rea awoke with a yawn… What a nice sleep… Wait. Why was she naked? And why was Frank…?! Her following scream immediately woke the icy man up… and upon looking at her, he was immediately reminded of what had transpired last night! Essentially, Rea ended up clinging to him, and though he initially wanted to just carry her to bed to let her rest… Damn it! Had she really been that sensual?! How had he lost control so easily?! His train of thought was cut short when he realized that Rea was bawling her eyes out… and after rubbing his temples, he was prompted to say, “…Why are you crying when you’re the one who initiated this? I’ll have you know that I never forced you-” “I-I know, but…! I’ve just…! This is my first time…!” whimpered the quivering woman, prompting Frank to purse his lips. As if he wasn’t in the same situation… “…You’re not alone there.” “It’s not the same! Men are free to sleep with whoever they want but when it comes to women, I’l
“Say, wouldn’t you agree that the food smells delicious…? Why don’t I teach you how to grill, Rea…? Oh, but make sure to take your clothes off first before we start! Wouldn’t want them to get dirty…” With how drunk Rea was, she wasn’t able to fully register his words… and just as he was about to touch her clothes, an icy voice roared, “Stop right there…!” Instantly feeling a shiver run down his spine, the man turned around… and to his horror, it was Frank! Young Master Burton’s perpetually icy son…! Why the hell was he here?! Before the frightened intern could think of how to even react, Frank walked up to him and growled, “Leave now before I chop your hands off…! Don’t make me repeat myself!” Nodding in terror, the man frantically bolted off… and once he was out of sight, Frank glared at the tipsy Rea before adding, “This is what you meant by learning how to be more responsible…?!” “Huh…? But the food really did smell super good… I want to learn…” mumbled the drunk woman.
After leaving his office, he headed off to look for Rea. She had said that she wanted to use the bathroom, but… It had already been half an hour since she disappeared. What trouble had that idiot gotten herself into this time? Thankfully, it wasn’t long before he found her laughing along with some of his interns… When the interns saw him, they were quick to bow and say, “Good morning, Mr. Burton.” Barely even glancing at them, Frank looked at Rea and said, “It’s time to head home.” “I… Won’t be following you back…” “…And why is that? Are your parents back?” “No, it’s just… These are my good friends back from school, and they’ve been staying together to learn to be more independent… With that said… I think that staying with them will be a good start for me to learn more about how the world works. Thank you for taking care of me up till this point, Frank… I won’t bother you anymore.” Raising a slight brow, Frank then looked at the interns for a while before saying, “…Are you
Regardless, after leaving her in the room, Frank returned to the shower to cool himself off… but no matter what he did, he simply remained irked. It got to the point where he couldn’t relax at all, and after wrapping a towel around his waist, he grabbed his phone to send his father a text. ‘Was there really nobody else who could’ve taken care of Rea?’ ‘What? Can’t even care for a woman properly.’ ‘I’m a busy man.’ ‘I trust in your time management skills.’ …Though he really wanted to tell Zivon that he had misplaced his trust in him, he didn’t want to disappoint his father either. With that, all he could do was clench his fists before giving Rea’s parents a call… “Hello? Frank? Why are you calling at this time of night?” “…When are you and Uncle Saltman returning, Aunt?” asked Frank who wanted them to take back their idiot already! “…Huh? What was that? Sorry, the line isn’t very good… I hope Rea isn’t giving you too hard a time! Don’t worry, we’ll be back after about a