"Mr. Kooper, you are still awake? H-Have I disturbed you?" Davian let out a servile at the other end of the phone.Gilbert rolled his eyes. "Of course you have disturbed me. You are becoming worse and worse as an assistant."Davian's smile froze. "T-Then I will leave you to it and will report back to you tomorrow."Gilbert stopped teasing him and said in a deep voice, "Get down to business."Davian stopped laughing and said with a serious face, "Didn't you ask me to investigate Adrien Tanner? I have found something.""Say it.""Adrien is the Tanner family's eldest son, grew up smart with good business acumen. He graduated from a prestigious university and as soon as he graduated, he started his own business to prove his ability. Later, he took over all the business of the Tanner family with his own merit. He is very influential in the circle, and is the best in the business world. As for his relationship history, I found nothing. He doesn't seem to be interested in women. He is n
Kisa swallowed in fear. She half hid her face in his arms and pointed at the curtain that danced with the wind."That was where it crawled in. It is so scary, so scary..."Gilbert would not believe it. He pulled her toward the window, and she hid behind him in fear, only peeking out from behind him. Gilbert lifted the curtain and searched around, but there was no ghost, not even a cat."Where is the ghost?" He dragged her out from behind him and pointed to the white curtain. "Tell me, where is the ghost?""Huh?" Kisa bit her finger and wove her way behind the curtain, asking with a puzzled face, "Where is the ghost? Where is it hiding? Huh?"Seeing her childish actions, Gilbert put his hand to his forehead, speechless. "You must have a nightmare. Okay, go to sleep." He fought back his anger and spun around to leave.But she tugged on his arm again and yelled, "There it goes! The ghost has gone there!" Kisa pointed at the bathroom with a frightened face.Gilbert was annoyed, but
"You are wearing makeup in the middle of the night. Who is it for?"Kisa looked at him. "For you."Gilbert stared at her face, which looked slightly funny, and said nothing."I heard someone say that men like beautiful women. After I put on makeup, I will become beautiful, and you will like me."It tugged at his heartstring. He looked into her clear eyes and asked faintly, "Why do you want me to like you? So you can use it to toy with me?"Kisa shook her head. "I just want you to like me," she said, cupping her face that had a thick layer of foundation, and asked expectantly, "Do you think I look good like this?"Seeing her expectant eyes, Gilbert lied through his teeth by saying, "Yes."Kisa broke into a smile happily and leaned her face with an exaggerated makeup close to him. "Do you like me then?"Gilbert pursed his lips and could no longer fudge. He said expressionlessly, "No."Kisa's smile instantly collapsed, and she muttered, not too happy, "I knew it. You like those h
It reminded him of that day when he saw her angry and resistant expression. The wound in his chest from her stab hurt again. He suddenly smiled in a self-deprecating way. 'I have to use force every time I want to get intimate with her. How ridiculous! How ironic!' He got up abruptly and looked out the window with his arms akimbo, feeling bitter.Kisa propped herself up and tilted her head to look at him. When he did not turn around even after a long while, she could not resist tugging at his clothes. "Gilbert...""Get lost!" He growled in disgust and swatted away her hand in repulsion.Kisa flinched back at his yell. She bit her lip and hugged her knees as she looked at him with a touch of aggrievement mixed with stubbornness on her face.Gilbert took a deep breath and turned to look at her. "Don't make such a face like I have bullied you. If you don't like me, why are you sticking to me? Why bother wooing and tempting me? Do you think this kind of relationship game is fun? I'm tel
It shocked Kisa for a moment. 'W-What happened?' She hurriedly looked around and found a dressing mirror over by the closet. She couldn't care less about the pain in her ankle and hurried over to the mirror. When she saw herself in the mirror, she shrieked in fright. 'Who did this? Who made my face look like this?' The makeup of the woman in the mirror was crude and garish, and because after sleeping all night, that makeup looked even messy. 'Gilbert didn't see me like this, did he?'Biting her lip in embarrassment, she turned around and rushed into the bathroom. It was a mess inside, where the pieces of shattered mirror were all over the floor and toiletries on the countertop were strewn on the floor. She searched the floor before finding a face wash in the corner. She hurriedly scrubbed her face several times with the face wash and then ran to the dressing mirror again. Looking at the clean face in the mirror, she sighed with relief. She looked at her body again; she was still weari
"I will take Andrew and Ada back to the Kooper residence in a couple of days," Gilbert said.Kisa froze for a long while before saying in a faint voice, "Okay." The two children should have gone back to the Kooper residence a long time ago. But remembering all the time she had spent with them together, she still felt sad at the thought of them leaving. She took a few breaths and inched outside, holding back the pain in her feet.Gilbert looked at her slow and clumsy movement and was irritated. He took a drag and said coldly, "Why are you walking so slowly? Is it because you don't feel like leaving?"Kisa was agitated. But she still bit her lip and tried to walk faster. Her foot was almost kaput, but she just gritted her teeth and endured it, refraining from making a sound.Gilbert felt even more upset and looked away from her when Kisa picked up her pace. Suddenly, there was a sudden sound of braking in the courtyard. He squinted and looked out. The Sandy Bay was a place where no o
"Keep an eye on her, don't let her get drunk in front of me."Kisa's eyes were downcast, her hand clenched tightly. She was awash with embarrassment and unknown emotions, feeling suffocated. Had she been a bit sober last night, she would never, ever have bothered Gilbert.Jensen glanced at her, feeling conflicted. He then looked back at Gilbert with a light smile. "Sure."The car drove away. Gilbert stared expressionlessly at it until it disappeared from sight, then he ruthlessly stubbed out his cigarette and turned around to enter the house.Inside the car, Jensen grasped the steering wheel with one hand and tugged at his tie with the other. Kisa looked at him sideways. He was pursing his lips and looked tired. She also noticed that he was still wearing yesterday's clothes and suddenly remembered Mia's car accident. She straightened up and asked, "Is Miss Fallon okay?""She is fine. She just hurt her leg."Kisa was relieved to hear this, and her straight back softened again, lea
Jensen turned to look out the window. Feeling depressed and wanting to say something, but good sense told him not to. In the end, he said nothing and started the car again. "Let me take you to the hospital."Kisa nodded, clutching the seat belt in her hand, not making a sound. She still hoped that Gilbert was not behind the fire, for no other reason than because of Andrew and Ada, whom she genuinely loved even though they were not her children. She did not want to go to the point where she and Gilbert were killing each other, as that would be too devastating to the two children.When she arrived at the hospital, Jensen did not take her to see Mia. Instead, he brought her to the surgery clinic to look at her ankle. The surgeon was an older doctor. He gently squeezed Kisa's red and swollen ankle and shook his head.Jensen instantly frowned and asked in a grave voice, "How is it? Is it serious?""Serious is an understatement. If she doesn't take care of it from now on, I'm afraid she
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