Thaddeus gathered his things and turned around to see Jessamine sitting there in a daze. "Jessie, what are you thinking about?""It's nothing. I should be heading home now. If I get home any later, Layla will be upset if I miss her bedtime."Thaddeus' smile grew wider as he thought of Layla's adorable face."That little clingy one—are you sure you can handle them? How about leaving the two kids with me for a few days?""You don't even have a nanny and you still have to work during the day. I'm worried you won't be able to manage."Thaddeus thought to himself that what Jessamine said made sense. He could always hire a nanny, but having another person in the house would be inconvenient, so he dismissed the idea."How about picking up the kids this weekend?""I'll ask for their thoughts first. If the kids don't have any objections, then I don't either.""Can you come with them?"Jessamine gave him a disapproving look. "Mr. Holt, do you want to move in together before even making
Xander had to admit that there was something truly amazing about the bond of blood relations.Xander had watched the two kids grow up and did a good job as their uncle. Whenever he had time, he would take the children out to have fun.In their four years of being together, he had never seen Layla get this close to anyone.Thaddeus was an unexpected father who just showed up, and had he already won over the two little kids within a few days?Lucas ran out from the back as well. When he saw Thaddeus, he didn't show much of an expression on his face, but one could tell from his eyes that he was happy.Layla held onto Thaddeus' neck tightly with her small hands."Daddy, are you not leaving? Stay and sleep with Mommy tonight!"Xander was taken aback. "Layla, boys and girls are different, so they shouldn't sleep together so casually. Come here, let me carry you."Layla pouted. "But back in Zenville, Mommy and Daddy slept together."Xander's expression didn't look too good. When he g
After he finished asking his question, Xander answered himself. "She's looking for a grandson-in-law."Xander disdainfully glanced sideways. Thaddeus could dream on if he thought he could become the grandson-in-law of the Pattons!Thaddeus took a deep drag from the cigarette between his fingers and said calmly, "Then, I'll do my best."After putting the two children to sleep, Jessamine went downstairs just as Xander came in from outside.Jessamine felt her heart start to race a bit, and she called out somewhat nervously, "Xander."Xander responded with a hum of acknowledgment. He noticed her gaze drifting outside, and then he replied, "I scolded him away."To Jessamine, it was fine as long they didn't get into a fight.Xander poured two cups of water and handed one to Jessamine."I heard you've been looking for an ambassador lately?""I've already found one. Jerome recommended him, and I trust his judgment."Xander heard Jerome mention this during a business gathering. He had
"Have you been keeping up with the payments for this number?" Jessamine asked.Thaddeus grunted as he arrived at the office in the morning. The phone in his briefcase started ringing, and it was a call he usually wouldn't answer.When he saw that the incoming call was from a number he had memorized, he couldn't resist answering it."I have your old phone with me. I had it repaired; apart from some paint chipping off the case, the screen was replaced, and nothing else was damaged," he told her honestly. He didn't dare to hide anything from her.Jessamine felt her breath hitch as she remembered the events from four years ago."The stuff on that phone…""It's all here.""Can you return the phone to me at noon?" Jessamine asked.Thaddeus was silent on the other end of the phone for a short while."Jessie, you can't take away even this little bit of hope from me, alright?"The phone had been with him for four years. On countless sleepless nights, he would open her secondary WhatsA
Jessamine felt that Judith was not in the right state of mind to drive any further, but fortunately, their destination was just past the next intersection.Jessamine arrived at the private room five minutes earlier than scheduled. Jerome was already there, along with someone who seemed to be a manager. However, Hayden himself was nowhere to be seen.Jerome greeted her and said, "Ms. Patton, please sit over here."Since they were in a formal setting, he changed the usual way he addressed her. Jessamine almost had a hard time recognizing it.Jerome also said, "This is Hayden's manager. He went to the restroom and will be back soon. Let's order our food first."While they were talking, the bathroom door in the private room opened, and out came a tall young man. He was more than 6 feet tall, with a somewhat soft and gentle appearance.Hayden was momentarily taken aback upon seeing Jessamine. He didn't quite know what was going through his mind and was lost in thought for a short time
Hayden waved his hand. "Sean, what are you talking about? That's not true.""Are you still pretending? Do you think I just met you yesterday? I can tell what you're thinking just by looking at you. That's the client we're talking about—make sure you're clear-headed.""Sean, what nonsense are you talking about? I just feel like I've seen this lady before."Sean handed him a few more sheets of tissue."Alright, stop pretending in front of me. Get yourself together and always be mindful of your image. You're a celebrity and need to be aware of your status. Just because you're good-looking doesn't mean you can act recklessly."Hayden wiped his face, stared at himself in the mirror for a long time, and muttered to himself, "It really seems to be her."After coming out of the restroom, Hayden's lazy demeanor completely disappeared, and he instantly became energetic and lively.Hayden sat back in the spot he was in earlier. "Ms. Patton, would you mind adding me on WhatsApp? This way, i
Judith was still calming her excitement down as she looked at the photograph. It felt like a dream—had she really gotten an autographed picture of her idol that easily?"Jacinda, how can he look even more handsome in person than on TV? I'm going to be his fan until I'm old!” Judith cried.“Why didn't I take a photo with my idol just now? He's so approachable. He wouldn't have said no if I had asked. Ah! I'm regretting it now…"Jessamine was driving while listening to Judith's chatter. "Get yourself together. Tell me your address so I can send you home.""Jacinda, there's no need to go out of your way. Just drop me off at the subway station ahead. Oh wow, he's so handsome, hehe!"Judith was enthralled; her eyes were glued to the photo and she couldn't tear them away. As they neared the next subway station, she spoke up again, "Jacinda, I've noticed that Hayden looks somewhat like you. His nose and mouth are similar, and he even has the same expression when he smiles."Judith see
Jessamine turned the steering wheel to make a U-turn and headed toward the company.When the car parked in front of the complex lot, Thaddeus was already standing there waiting.The streetlight made his shadow look like it was stretched out very long.Jessamine got out of the car, and he immediately reached out with his hand to hold hers."Have you eaten yet?"Jessamine reached out to grab his hand, and the two of them walked side by side."You weren't here, so I just grabbed a bite."Thaddeus' new office was on the same level as Kama Jewelry. When they got off the elevator, they went straight to his company.Some employees from Holt Jewelry had been transferred from Zenville, and they had recently hired quite a few new people. At this hour, after the workday had ended, the entirety of the large office was quiet.Thaddeus walked with Jessamine. He showed her around different areas and explained each one to her."Jessie, this area is for the marketing department, and here we h
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