Thaddeus clenched his fists. It was the first time he had heard such harsh words from her. She claimed he was tainted, and he found himself speechless in defense. That night remained a haze in his memory; he couldn't recall how it happened. Sometimes, he wondered if it was a lie concocted by Amy. But he doubted a woman would bring up her innocence as a matter of concern. For the first time, Thaddeus felt powerless. Matters solvable with money now seemed trivial compared to the complexity of his current situation.The atmosphere in the wardrobe grew tense. Thaddeus' phone vibrated in his pocket. It was a call from Amy. Jessamine caught a glimpse of it. She offered a bitter smile before turning away in resignation. He found Jessamine's reaction ironic. She had transitioned from disliking Amy to adopting an indifferent stance. After a moment of hesitation, he answered the call. "Stop calling me unless it's urgent," he instructed curtly. On the other end, Amy's voic
Jessamine stood in stunned silence, her mind replaying Amy's actions—sipping coffee, indulging in alcohol, and rocking high heels. Was the ultrasound report she sent fake? So Amy wasn't pregnant after all!It dawned on Jessamine that all of this was a ploy orchestrated by Amy to drive her away from Thaddeus. Though uncertain if this revelation qualified as good news, a wave of relief washed over Jessamine. Her hand instinctively found its place on her abdomen. If there were no illegitimate child, then her baby wouldn't suffer the same fate as her—a childhood marred by loss, abandoned due to a half-blood sister's machinations. "Jessie, let's not get a divorce, alright? You've known about Amy before, and we were doing fine, weren't we?" Thaddeus pleaded. Her heart softened a little at his pleads.Thaddeus observed her silence and dared to hope that she grasped his sentiment. "Jessie, can't we carry on like this?" He lifted her chin tenderly, wiped away her tears with gentle
With such thoughts, Jessamine felt as if she was on cloud nine. After days of darkness, everything suddenly seemed illuminated, and she was filled with an indescribable joy. Jessamine soon drifted off into a peaceful slumber as they lay in bed. It had been days since she had experienced such rest, as relentless nightmares plagued her.Finally, she was able to enjoy a peaceful sleep. A knock at the door awakened Jessamine. She rolled over and nestled her head into Thaddeus' chest. She had just gotten up from sleep and subconsciously craved the warmth of his embrace. "Jessie, I'll go get the door," Thaddeus murmured, gently freeing his arm from under her head. Upon opening the door, he found a tray of prepared meals with a note on the floor that read, "No need to come downstairs for meals. Rest well." It had Thomas' handwriting. It was evident that Thomas had mistakenly guessed what had happened in the room.Thaddeus brought the tray inside and set it on the balcony table, w
Jessamine felt uneasy. This was the first time they held hands in public. Perhaps it was because Thaddeus was too attractive, causing him to be the center of attention wherever he went.They drew countless gazes just by standing at the door.The largest private room upstairs was empty. A waiter had already brought coffee over."Jessie, do you have anything you want to eat?" Thaddeus asked.Jessamine flipped through the menu. She was in a good mood and had a good appetite. "I want to have a bit of everything."Thaddeus was surprised by her answer. After all, Jessamine was a picky eater at home. Thus, the cook had a headache because of how selective she was.It was rare that she wanted to eat everything today."Let's get one of everything except for sour dishes." Thaddeus handed the menu back to the waiter.Jessamine was stunned. There were at least 20 dishes on the menu. Thus, there was no way the two of them could finish it. Although he was rich, they couldn't be so wasteful.
Thaddeus grinned smugly. "You want to be with me so badly. Why were you in denial before?"In her haste, Jessamine blurted out what was on her mind, "I thought you had an illegitimate child before."Thaddeus was speechless. "Can you be smarter?"She smiled awkwardly before continuing to eat."If I had an illegitimate child, would you leave?" he asked.Jessamine stopped picking up her food, almost spilling the beans that she had a baby.The atmosphere turned awkward. Thaddeus suddenly figured that he shouldn't have asked that. It was a loaded question that was difficult for her to answer.Moreover, her reaction caused him to realize how much she cared about that incident. That was her bottom line.When they were halfway through their food, Benji walked into the room. When he saw Jessamine, he stopped in his tracks awkwardly.He felt like he was almost running naked before the couple."Take your time. I still have something to do." Benji turned around and was about to leave.T
As Benji sat at the side and observed what was happening, he felt that his existence was unnecessary. He was just third-wheeling there. He even needed to leave when the couple wanted some privacy.'You guys don't need to leave. I'll leave!" he insisted.Thaddeus wasn't bothered to act politely with Benji. Once Benji set down his chopsticks and left, Thaddeus closed the door behind him.Jessamine felt a pang of guilt."You don't know my weight either, right?" Jessamine tried to argue.Thaddeus switched seats, choosing to sit beside her."You're five feet five inches, 105 pounds, and your measurements are 32, 22, and 33 inches. Is there anything else I don't know?" he replied.After saying that, he raised his eyebrows. "Right. Your period cycle is 28 days. Did it… come early this month?""It's normal for it to be delayed or early for a few days." Jessamine was taken aback. She quickly replied, as she was scared he would suspect anything.Thaddeus lifted his chin and turned her f
Without waiting for her reply, Thaddeus picked her up in bridal style and brought her into the movie room.Although Jessamine felt uneasy in mid-air, she also secretly felt gleeful.However, she became alert when she was reminded of how they almost had sex while watching a movie the last time."Can we watch a normal movie?" she whispered.Thaddeus sat on the sofa and placed her on his thigh. He then moved her toward him by supporting her ankles. This gesture was undoubtedly dangerously intimate.Jessamine was pressed against his waist, and she felt her heart almost jumping out of her chest. Thaddeus knew how to tease her exceptionally well.He pretended to be clueless and asked, "What's a normal movie? Is the one we last saw not normal?"Jessamine felt a bit tongue-tied. "Well … Let's choose one without that many m-movements."After saying that, her face turned red.Thaddeus grinned, thinking Jessamine looked attractive when she smiled. He thought it would be better if she cou
Jessamine took a few deep breaths before returning to her senses. She placed her arm on his shoulder and pushed it gently. "Thaddeus, get up," she said.They might not be able to control themselves if they continue like this.Her feeble willpower was entirely at the mercy of the little ones in her belly.Thaddeus released her, panting heavily against her neck. "Jessie, help me."Jessamine was stunned as he guided her hand to the burning object between his legs. Instantly, she understood what he meant by wanting her to help him.They had been together for three years. However, she had never done such a thing for him. This was because he would always do it whenever he felt lustful. He had never compromised himself."I-I don't know how to do it." Jessamine pulled her hand back, her voice trembling.However, he grabbed her hand again a few seconds later."Let me teach you," he said flirtatiously.…It felt like ages to Jessamine. By the time they finished, her hands were aching.
Thaddeus was dumbfounded. Why hadn't he considered using blood types to eliminate the possibility first?"My dad has type O blood."Jessamine's stroked his Adam's apple softly and deliberately. "My mom has type B blood, and I have type AB blood. Do you think it's possible that we could be long-lost siblings?"Thaddeus thought for some time and couldn't help but burst out in hearty laughter. It was impossible for someone with type B blood and someone with type O blood to have a child with AB type blood. What was he worrying about?At that moment, he couldn't believe how foolish he'd been. Biology was his best subject in school, yet he didn't think about this until Jessamine reminded him. His biology teacher would be furious if they knew."Why didn't you say so earlier, Jessie?" He regretted not talking to her about it sooner and ended up suffering in prolonged silence by himself.After Jessamine got bored touching his Adam's apple, she started playing with his rough chin. "I just
Jessamine lay still for a long time, aware that Thaddeus was also awake, battling insomnia just like her.This visit to Zenville to solve one mystery ended up bringing her an even bigger one.The gathering took place years ago in the restaurant owned by Benji's family. She had even asked Benji about it. The surveillance footage from over 20 years ago wouldn't be around now, and even the staff had changed several times. The restaurant's manager from back then had left the job many years ago.It wasn't easy to uncover the truth from back then unless they found the people who were directly involved. The closer they got to the truth, the more pressure she felt.By investigating this matter now, she was essentially peeling back the layers that had been hiding a much deeper issue. As she confronted the dark side of human nature, the ultimate victim ended up being her beloved mother.If Jessamine didn't look into this matter, she felt like she would be letting Elizabeth down. She wanted
Thaddeus frowned immensely at his request. "Don't be ridiculous!""I'm serious. You could help me rent one too. You know, the kind that charges by the day. I'll fool my dad first. We'll deal with everything else once he gets better," Benji said.Thaddeus cursed inwardly, "Dude, don't drag me into this, especially with my wife watching. It sounds like you're implying I have ways to get or rent women."Thaddeus glanced back at Jessamine and said, "I don't know about this. You should ask someone else. If you're at your wits end, go ask one of the assistants in your company to help you out."Benji seemed to come to a realization. He said, "It's getting late. You all should go back and rest. There are doctors here. I'll stay and keep watch."Jessamine asked, "Can you handle this on your own, Mr. Moore?""Sure, thank you… all of you," Benji replied.After saying a few more words of comfort, Jessamine and Thaddeus went downstairs to the car. Thaddeus' phone started ringing again."Mr.
Maya also knelt by the bed and started crying."Dad, don't speak for now. Please be okay."Benji zoned out. Seeing Carmen and Maya crying, his mind was in a mess. He realized that he couldn't continue to live aimlessly—his family needed him now."A girlfriend, a girlfriend..." he mumbled, not even sure of what he was saying.The doctor hurried to the room upon hearing the call, checked on Jonathan again, and then sent the family away."The patient needs rest and should avoid additional emotional stress. You all can wait outside for now. There's no need for everyone to be here, one would be enough. The room can be stuffy if there's too many people here, too."They then left the room. Benji was holding the X-ray images of Jonathan's brain, but he couldn't make any sense of it. He felt completely lost.Shane quietly slipped away from the crowd after watching from afar. He went to an empty hallway and called his father. "Dad, are you free to analyze some X-ray images? It's for a fri
Benji had always lived a smooth and pleasant life. It hit him hard after hearing what the doctor said, leaving him in a state of shock and bewilderment."Mom, hasn't Dad always been in good health? How did he suddenly..."Carmen's eyes were red and swollen from crying."He mentioned feeling dizzy a few times recently and said he'd go for a check-up but actually never did. Plus, he's been swamped with work lately and hasn't got any time. Today, he suddenly fainted at the office. His assistant called an ambulance right away and brought him to the hospital. By the time I got the call, he was already being examined inside."Benji's face turned pale. With Jonathan down, the burden of supporting his family fell on him. He had been free from responsibility for the past 20 years, and now, suddenly having to shoulder this heavy load, he felt completely lost.His father had been asking him to get familiar with the company's operations a long time ago. However, he was too lazy to bother abou
Benji never had any grand ambitions. From the day he was born, people always told him that he didn't need to worry about anything since most problems in this world could be solved with money, and his family had plenty of it. He just wanted to drift through life."I don't need to surpass him. As long as I can cover my daily expenses and not have to ask him for money, that's enough," Benji replied.As they were talking, Shane had prepared a table full of dishes. He set out four sets of plates and cutleries before calling everyone over to eat. "It's time to eat."The four of them hadn't seen each other in a long time, so they had to have a drink.Jessamine looked at the beautifully prepared dishes on the table and couldn't help but offer a compliment. "Shane, your cooking skills have gotten so good."Shane opened a bottle of red wine and poured some for everyone. "What can I do? There's a glutton at home."Benji was not happy with Shane's comment. What did he mean by saying there wa
"It's great that you came by today, Jessie. I'll pay you back the money. Friends who are willing to lend money these days are rare, so I want to thank you again," Benji said.He hadn't repaid the money he borrowed last time yet. Coincidentally, he received some money today, so he decided to settle the debt in person. With that, he picked up his phone to make the transfer.Jessamine's phone chimed, indicating that a payment had been received. The amount was a bit more than what she had lent out."Mr. Moore, I'm not here to ask you to settle your debt. You can keep it for now. I won't need the money for the time being," Jessamine said."If one borrows and returns promptly, borrowing again won't be difficult. You're much easier to talk to than Thaddeus. Despite knowing him for so many years, borrowing money from him is such a hassle. You saw it last time yourself. That scoundrel's attitude was terrible!" Benji complained.At this point in the conversation, Thaddeus happened to arrive
Thaddeus tightened his grip on Jessamine's slender waist. "What am I going to do with you, Jessie?"He thought to himself that if things really were just that coincidental, he would rather play the fool and pretend to know nothing at all. He just couldn't leave her.Jessamine asked softly, "How about you ask your dad?"Thaddeus paused for a moment and took out his phone to call Corey. He couldn't calm his mind at all.After a few seconds of hearing the dial tone, the call was answered."Dad," Thaddeus said.On the other end of the phone, Corey was about to go to sleep. He had been adjusting his routine lately, aiming to go to bed early and wake up early."What’s up?" Corey asked."Do you remember the gathering over 20 years ago with Mr. Hardy, Jacob Langston, Leon Lincoln, Paxton Loomis, and a few others?"After that, Thaddeus added, "That night, a beautiful woman came over. She drank some alcohol and was drugged."There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the ph
On the other side, Jessamine and Thaddeus got into the car.Jessamine and Beatrice were quite familiar with each other. However, it was Jessamine's first time meeting Sabastian. Surprisingly, she had a pretty good impression of him."Do the Hardy and Holt families have business dealings with each other?"Thaddeus drove as he answered her question, "We don't have much interaction. We would occasionally invest in small projects and conduct some charity work in Zenville together."Mr. Hardy is an upright and trustworthy person. He has a good relationship with Grandpa. Hayden would often come to my house with him when I was young."Jessamine paused for a moment and asked, "Does he have a wife?""Hayden's mother passed away from an amniotic fluid embolism during childbirth. Since then, Mr. Hardy has remained single and never remarried."Jessamine was deeply moved. In this era, who would remain loyal for a lifetime to their deceased wives? Most men like Sabastian, who had both power a