Just then, Kisa's call came from not far away. Lea's expression changed, and she looked at Anthony nervously.Anthony lowered his voice and said, "Get out of here.""Okay." Lea hurriedly came out of the corner.Seeing Lea coming out of the corner just as she arrived, Kisa came up to meet her. "Why did you come over here without a word? I have been looking all over for you."Lea let out an unnatural smile. "Nature's call. I was looking for a ladies' room."Kisa nodded without giving it a second thought. "And did you find it?""Yeah, I found it." Lea tugged at Kisa's arm. "Come on. Are the reporters still interviewing Mr. Kooper and Sharon?""The reporters are slowly dispersing. There is nothing to see.""Oh? Let's go home, then. You have to pick up the children later."Kisa nodded, and before she left, she suddenly saw a bruise on Lea's neck. Startled, she hurriedly flipped open her collar and asked, "What happened to your neck?""N-Nothing. I'm fine." Lea hurriedly put her co
Sharon's eyes burst with anger and jealousy as she watched Gilbert drive away with Kisa in his car.Celandina cautiously said, "Sharon, what should we do? Mr. Kooper doesn't want to marry you. Wouldn't your reputation be ruined?""Shut the f*ck up." Sharon angrily pushed her to the ground and sneered, "Don't be so proud of yourself. Let me tell you, even if my reputation is ruined, you still cannot take my place."Celandina's face turned pale with fright. "What are you talking about? I have never thought that way. I—""Oh, Celandina. If you have thought that way, just say so. What are you afraid of? I saw you complaining about this international star with other actresses in the ladies' room. Why are you afraid to say anything in front of her now?" Ariella suddenly appeared behind them, her arms crossed in front of her chest with a smug look on her face.Celandina's face instantly changed. "You b*tch. Don't spew—"SLAP!Before she could finish her sentence, Sharon slapped her har
Kisa had been waiting to hear from Jensen for many days. Upon seeing Jensen's call, she felt a sense of happiness. She took the phone and went to the balcony to answer it.Gilbert narrowed his eyes and looked icily at her. He had just glimpsed the caller ID; it was Jensen. 'Does she have to be so happy when Jensen calls her? Her beaming face is eye-glaring indeed.'Blake put his school bag away, then trotted back to the doorway to help his uncle carry the groceries. "Why are you standing at the doorway, Uncle Gilbert?"Gilbert glanced at him, then at Kisa, and said to him, "Your dad called your ma'am. Do you want to talk to your godfather?"Blake shook his head and spoke his mind with simple logic. "If Dad wanted to talk to me, he would have asked Ma'am to give me her cell phone, but Ma'am has been holding the phone, so Dad's call must be for her, not me."Gilbert was speechless. 'Great. Now I can't even fool a five-year-old.' At first, he thought of letting Blake distract the two
Jensen lowered his eyes, drawing back any emotions left in his eyes, and said in a low voice, "That is the only way."Kisa had just hung up the phone when she saw Blake staring at her. It startled her for a second before she asked in bafflement, "What is wrong?""Ma'am, what did Dad say to you?""Huh, how did you know it was your Dad calling?" Kisa wondered as she remembered she didn't mention Jensen's name just now."Uncle Gilbert told me. He said that Dad called you.""Oh, it was him." Kisa instantly knew that it was Gilbert who had sent the boy. She patted Blake on the head and said gently, "Your dad said nothing to me, just some personal matter. Be a good boy in the meantime. He'll be back soon.""Okay. I'll be a good boy," Blake said and dashed back into the kitchen.Gilbert was cutting meat when he saw Blake coming in. He did not ask but waited for Blake to tell him."Uncle Gilbert, Ma'am said that Dad said nothing to her. She also said that what Dad said to her was perso
"Come on, let me see. Did you cut off your finger?" Kisa sounded like she was gloating over his misfortune.Gilbert was enraged. 'She wishes I had cut off my finger. Is she that disgusted with me?' Turning off the faucet, he hid his injured hand and said sulkily, "I'm fine.""Oh... Blake was screaming like you had cut your finger off." Kisa looked apathetic. "Don't make a mountain out of a molehill as a man. Look how scared Blake is. He is almost crying." Gilbert used to accuse her of exaggerating things. Now it was her turn to return the favor.Gilbert looked grave as he clenched his hands at his side. Because of using too much force, blood oozed out of the wound and dripped onto the floor again.Kisa glanced down at the blood on the ground and grunted in disgust. "Can't you quickly get your finger bandaged? Blood is dripping everywhere, and I must clean up after you." It sounded like she did not feel sorry for him but only disgusted and indifferent.Gilbert was terribly upset. I
Gilbert and the three children were sitting silently on the couch. Kisa put the food on the table and asked them with amusement, "What? Are you all under a freezing spell?"Gilbert looked at her with a sullen face and said nothing.Andrew jumped off the couch and ran up to Kisa. "Ma'am, Daddy's finger has lost a lot of blood."Kisa glanced at the Band-Aid in his hand and asked, puzzled, "A bandage won't stop his bleeding? It is not like he has a disease that won't stop bleeding."Gilbert let out sardonic laughter. 'Look how disgusted and sarcastic she is.' He clenched his fists in sudden anger, and the wound that had stopped bleeding bled again.Andrew shook his head at Kisa and said, "Daddy won't use the bandage.""Oh..." Kisa gave a sarcastic laugh. "He is certainly a CEO of a certain prestige. Even when he had a minor cut on his finger, he had to summon his private doctor over and bandage the wound. Otherwise, how can he show his prestigious status?"The kids did not understa
Andrew glanced into the garbage can and shook his head like an adult. "You lost so much blood for nothing. What a shame.""Uncle Gilbert, please take care of yourself next time. If you can quickly stop the bleeding, then stop the bleeding as quickly as you can. Don't wait for others." Blake also sounded like an adult as he lectured Gilbert. "Dad often told me we need to help ourselves and never hope for others to help us."Kisa could not help but burst out in a burst of stifled laughter. She had never thought that Gilbert would be lectured by three five-year-olds today.Gilbert was frustrated. He stared at Kisa's smiling face and said intimidatingly, "I dare you to laugh again."Kisa was not afraid of him. She provoked him by saying, "So what if I laugh? My emotion is mine to control. I can laugh if I like, so what?"Gilbert nodded. "Okay, you'd better not cry tonight."His ambiguous tone startled Kisa for a moment, and she stopped saying another word. 'What a shameless man. We a
Suddenly, the other side of the bed she was sleeping on sank, which jolted Kisa out of her sleep as she tried to sit up reflexively. Before she could react, a powerful force pulled her back. She shrieked as the weight came down on her, along with the familiar scent drifting into her nostrils.Enraged, she gritted her teeth and snarled, "How did you get in here?""I just walked in." The man's voice was mellow and low, like he was holding back some emotion.Kisa struggled to push him away. "Impossible. I locked the door, and you have no key. You couldn't have come in.""Are you so sure I don't have a key?""You!" Kisa was desperate. 'So he has already quietly duplicated the key? How despicable! D*mn!' She pushed against his chest in anger. But he came down harder on her, their faces so close to each other that she could smell his hot breath blowing all over her face, causing her face to blush. "What the hell do you want?" She yelled angrily, for losing sleep, as Gilbert held her tig
In a small town in the South, a gentle breeze caressed the cheeks of passersby, creating a pleasant and serene atmosphere. This town, known for its tourism, was adorned with flowers even in its narrow alleys. The surrounding houses were all quaint inns, exuding a poetic and picturesque charm.Beneath an arching bridge, Kisa set up an easel to display and sell her paintings. She had always loved painting since childhood. Although she had not achieved great success in this field, her vivid and evocative paintings were very popular with tourists. She would sell most of her paintings every day.On weekends, Blake would join her at the stall, but today was Wednesday, and she was alone. After arranging her paintings, she had barely sat down when people began to gather around. Some admired her art, while others immediately offered to buy. Her paintings were reasonably priced, which attracted many customers."Miss, I'd like that painting of the snow-covered rose garden at night.""Alright,
In the backyard, Kohen looked at his older brother's calm expression, a hint of worry in his voice. "Bro, are you alright?""I'm fine," Hayes said, adjusting the blanket on his lap. "Tomorrow, take me to meet those medical geniuses you found.""Oh, sure..." Kohen nodded in agreement, but after a moment, he could not help but ask, "Bro, what did that woman say to you that made you change your mind so suddenly?"Hayes gazed at the stars in the sky, his voice cool and distant. "She told me she's doing well, very happy. Then she pointed out how pitiful and miserable I am right now. She asked me if I don't feel envious, knowing how well she is doing compared to me."Kohen grimaced, realizing that the woman had provoked his brother into action.Hayes lowered his eyes, a faint smile on his face. "That's right. How could I not be envious? So, I want to heal my legs, live a good life, and show her that I can do better than her."Kohen felt a pang of sympathy for his brother. From Hayes's
Mentioning Hayes, Eylul's expression became complex. "Hayes is reclusive and doesn't like to see people. Only a single old servant has been taking care of him all these years. I only met him once, back when I married Kohen."Mia's heart ached, recalling the enigmatic yet deeply emotional man. She could not help but feel a lump in her throat. "How's his health?" Mia asked.Eylul replied, "His health is fine, but his legs have remained the same. Kohen has found top orthopedic experts for him and even sought out Kelvin Hoover from Calthon, but he refuses treatment. For so many years, he hasn't even stepped outside the backyard.""You mean he's been living in the backyard all this time?" Jensen asked gravely.Eylul nodded. "Yes, Kohen wanted him to live in the main house, but he refused. He only likes staying in the backyard. Moreover, the room he stays in used to be..." Eylul glanced at Mia. She had heard that Mia used to live in that room.With a complicated expression, Mia pursed h
"Let's forget everything that just happened,' Mia said.Jensen looked up at her. In the moonlight, his eyes were deep and complex, profound and unfathomable.Mia tried to muster a smile. "You don't have to feel burdened. In a way, I forced you. And you must have always disliked me. Actually, I didn't come to you for money; I just wanted to see you. Now that I have, I should go. Jensen, from now on... take care."With that, she walked away, fearing that if she lingered any longer, she would not be able to leave. But after only a few steps, she was embraced from behind.Jensen's voice was low and hoarse. "Stay with me."Mia trembled at his words. Jensen continued. "But I still have so many things to do and someone in my heart I can't let go of. I don't know... when I will be able to give you a satisfactory answer. If you don't want to stay with me without any promises or guarantees, you can—""I'm willing," Mia blurted out, "as long as I can be with you, I don't care about anything
Mia's face changed instantly. " You... you know I like Jensen, why would you...""Heh, if you like Jensen, shouldn't you be willing to do anything for him? If you can't even do this, how can you claim to love him?""I won't do it! Doing this would be betraying Jensen. I would risk my life for him, but I can't do this."Adrien stared at her flushed face and gently chuckled, his words loaded with meaning. "Aren't you feeling all hot and bothered yet?"Mia frowned. Her body was indeed getting hotter and more agitated. 'Why would Adrien ask this? Could it be the drink...?'As the thought crossed her mind, her heart sank. Seeing Adrien's cold expression and the man's playful smile, Mia turned and ran. But before she could take more than a few steps, she was dragged back. Weakened by the drink, her desperate struggles were futile. As the man pressed her down, playing with her like a toy, she closed her eyes in despair. She thought she could never face Jensen again. With a bitter laugh,
Adrien Tanner, Jensen's father, stood before Mia with a warm smile. "My son is truly awkward when it comes to matters of the heart. He's even willing to refuse such a beautiful young woman like you."Mia stared at him, her tears suddenly streaming down her face. "I only wanted to see him, even if it was to face rejection. Wouldn't it better to say it clearly to my face?""Yes, it would." Adrien agreed. "But standing here stubbornly won't help, because he left on a business trip a couple of days ago."Mia's heart ached even more, realizing that Jensen had avoided using the front door just to evade her.Adrien continued. "I have a way to make him come to you willingly, but it depends on whether you're willing to cooperate."Mia nodded. "What do I have to do?"Adrien motioned to his bodyguard, who handed him a glass of wine. "Drink this," he said.Mia furrowed her brow, hesitant.Adrien gently patted her shoulder, like a father would."Don't be afraid. I won't harm you. From the
Filled with guilt, Mia stepped forward, but Kohen suddenly pulled out a handgun and aimed it at her."Get out!"Jensen pulled Mia back. He looked at the cold man before him. It was this man who had taken him in years ago. At that time, Kohen was young, a carefree and privileged young man. Now, he seemed to have grown up all at once, his eyes colder and more distant.Jensen said with a troubled expression, "If you ever need me in the future, don't hesitate to find me."Kohen sneered coldly; pain etched in his brow. He mocked himself. "I never should have taken you in back then. In the end, it was I who harmed my own brother."Jensen pursed his lips, not knowing what to say, only feeling an unbearable pain in his heart. It was the first time he felt he owed someone. That sense of indebtedness suffocated him."Get out, and don't let me see you two ever again."On that night, Jensen and Mia left the McCray family. As a result of Hayes's ordeal, the McCray family underwent tremendous
"What on earth happened?"Jensen did not speak. Mia choked out. "The collaboration between the Burton family and the McCray family was a trap. We were ambushed by the Burton family, and Hayes... he was hit by a car trying to save us.""Damn it!" Kohen cursed under his breath, abruptly pulling a knife from a nearby bodyguard and pointing it at them. "What are your lives worth? Why would my brother save you? Why?"Mia bit her lip, tears streaming down her face. 'It's my fault. I wanted to save Jensen, but I should have gone alone. I shouldn't have dragged Hayes into this. He seemed cold-blooded and heartless, and I never thought that he would risk his life for me. Why was he so good to me?'"Kohen..."Suddenly, a weak cry rang out. Hayes had awakened.Kohen hurriedly moved closer, gripping Hayes's hand. "Bro!"Hayes's face was deathly pale. He did not look at Kohen, but instead turned his gaze to Mia. His eyes were calm. He saw Mia's red-rimmed eyes and the tears lingering there,
Hayes was sent flying by the car, his body crashing into a wall before bouncing back.Mia's entire body felt ice-cold as she trembled, yelling, "Hayes!""Kill them all!" A hoarse, aged voice suddenly rang out from the entrance. It was Curtis. He looked at Kendall's lifeless body on the ground, his eyes filled with rage, shouting, "Run them over! I want them to join my grandson in death!""Ah!" Jensen roared, disregarding the guards' swinging knives, and like a madman, charged at Curtis. Curtis's face changed, desperately pulling a nearby guard in front of him as a shield. But it was useless. Jensen, like a crazed beast, attacked anyone in his path. Soon, his knife was held against Curtis's throat.Curtis trembled all over. "Wh-What do you want?"Jensen, covered in blood with splatters on his face, looked like a demon that had emerged from a battleground. He grabbed Curtis and held him hostage in front of him. "Let us go!""Don't even think about it!" Curtis retorted angrily. "You