Just as Sharon was about to leave the room, Gilbert let out a low growl for her to stop, which made her tremble. When she turned around slowly, she saw that Gilbert had sat up again, his cold gaze penetrating through her thoughts. "Is there anything else, Gilbert?" Sharon smiled and asked softly.Gilbert fiddled around with the newspaper in his hand and laughed casually, "Was Emma an easy target?" Sharon's heart pounded, and a puzzled smile appeared on her face. "What are you talking about, Gilbert?""Didn't you push Emma to the point that she wanted to kill Kisa?""No, I did not."As soon as Gilbert finished speaking, Sharon started to cry out, "How could you suspect I would do such a thing? Emma has always disliked Kisa because she's your ex-wife. Her wanting to kill Kisa has nothing to do with me, I swear."Gilbert's lips curled upwards upon hearing that. "Do you remember what I told you before?" His voice was soft, and there was even a smile on his face, which Sharon found cre
Mia sat on the sofa with her legs crossed and said those words with a bit of grievance. Kisa poured her a cup of tea and brought out some snacks for Blake. "It's the end of the year. The company must be bustling.""You're the CEO of the company. It's under your name now. Why are you here?" Mia glanced at her and said in a resentful tone. Kisa lowered her gaze and smiled. "Relax. I'll give J & K Film Group back to him after some time."Mia was stunned. "That's not what I meant," she said with an unnatural expression on her face. "Since he gave you the company, you should just take it with peace of mind." Kisa shook her head after hearing that. "I've thought about it. It's useless for me to hold shares in this company."Kisa was no longer as determined as she was before to take her revenge on Gilbert anymore. She was just waiting for him to investigate the truth about the fire. Moreover, since they had been through hell in the cave together, she subconsciously believed that he had not
The boy, squatting on the ground with his back to Kisa, was Blake. In front of him were several metal cages with cute kittens in them. Blake stared at the kittens and was completely in love.Kisa walked over, kneeled down beside Blake, and glanced at the side of his face. "You like cats?"Blake nodded.He was the same as her in his regard. Kisa also liked cats. When she was younger, she always hugged her cat to sleep. But since the cat she raised died, she did not dare to keep such a pet again, as she was too heartbroken to see them die.She stroked Blake's head and smiled at him. "Want to keep one? How about I buy you one?" However, Blake shook his head and stood up. Kisa looked at him in puzzlement. "What is wrong? Don't you like it?""Liking them doesn't mean I have to keep them." Blake talked like an adult. "I don't think I can keep them. I'm happy just looking at them." He took one last look at the kittens in the cage.Kisa looked at him from behind once again and felt that
Mia's eyes widened, and as she looked over, she saw it was a woman in her fifties.The woman had a face like thunder. "This chicken is mine. Give it to me.""Heh, what a joke! Does this chicken have your name written on it? Finders keepers. Get away from me. You think I'm afraid of you just because you are fat?" Mia was fearless as she shook off the woman's hand.The woman would not let up and continued tugging the chicken. "I have had my eye on this chicken for a long time. The shopkeeper hadn't had the time to get it for me. Give it to me."Mia held the chicken in her arms. "You should have grabbed it earlier if you wanted it. Since I have my hand on it now, it is mine. You go away."The woman refused to back down, and the two went straight to fighting over it. The store was already crowded with people, and it was even more chaotic when they fought. Kisa was worried Blake would be knocked over, so she took him to the cashier's area. She told Blake to wait there before she went t
In the photo, a woman wearing a mask was leaning in the arms of a man who was also wearing a mask and hat. The man's hand was also holding a chicken. The photo was extraordinarily clear. Judging by the body shape and eyes of the two, the woman must be Kisa, and the man, Jensen. Those two people stood out in the noisy crowd.Gilbert pursed his lips and gritted his teeth in what might look like a sign of anger.Kelvin approached Gilbert, cocked his head, and looked at his face with a cheeky smile. "Didn't you swear she cared about you? Now it seems that she is not worried about you at all. I dare to say that she has forgotten about you."Gilbert tossed the phone back to him and said nonchalantly, "It is not like I'm dying. Why should she worry about me?""Not really. I told her the other day that you would die, thinking of making her worry about you. But by the looks of what has happened today, she is not the least worried about you but also having a good time with Jensen," Kelvin sa
Madalyn always gave whatever her great-grandchildren requested. She quickly nodded and broke out in an avuncular smile. "Of course, but will it disturb your good friend at this time of day?""It won't. Blake must be still awake at this hour," Ada said at once.When Gilbert heard Blake's name, his eyes lit up. He quietly put down his cutlery and said to Andrew and Ada, "If you want to video-call your friend, go to the couch. Don't disturb everyone's dinner.""Alas, Gilbert, don't be so hard on them," Madalyn said, smiling even more indulgently at the children. "It is okay right here. It won't interfere with everyone's dinner.""You can't keep spoiling them like this. You will spoil them," Gilbert said, getting up and saying to Andrew and Ada, "Come on, I will take you two over to the couch.""Okay." The two nodded their heads, held Gilbert's hand, one on the left and the other on the right, and walked toward the couch.Madalyn looked on as they went and said to George, "Gilbert is
Ada's eyes lit up. "A more fun game? What game is that?""Ma'am didn't say, but she said the more people, the more fun. So, Ada, you guys come together then. And also, Uncle Gilbert, you all come," Blake said.Ada looked expectantly at Gilbert, whose eyes were fixed on the magazine as if he had not noticed Ada looking at her or heard their conversation. Ada pouted and looked at Andrew, who also looked disappointed."Blake, dinner is ready." Just at that moment, Kisa's voice came through the phone.Gilbert's fingers trembled slightly. He raised his eyes and saw Kisa's face on the screen of the phone and found that she had a rounder face. He guessed that probably she must have been happy together with Jensen, or the phone was making her look fat. But he hoped it was because of the latter."Andrew, Ada, it has been a long time. I miss you guys."Ada, "I miss you, too, Ma'am. Can Andrew, Daddy, and I spend Christmas Eve at your place?" Ada asked."It's..." Kisa hesitated. She though
Andrew quickly handed him the phone.Gilbert took a look. His tightly furrowed brow slowly eased up. Even the gloom on his face slowly dissipated.[On Christmas Eve, bring Andrew and Ada over after your great-grandma falls asleep. I'll be waiting for you all.]'Was she hesitating because she was wary about Grandma and not because she disliked us disturbing her and Jensen?' With this thinking in mind, he no longer felt upset. He handed the phone back to Andrew with a smile on his face. "Come on, let's go over for dinner. I will take you to ma'am's place on Christmas Eve."Andrew and Ada looked at each other, both having puzzled looks on their faces.On Christmas Eve, It's customary for all the families to have a family gathering, yet Davian was alone in his apartment playing online games. What killed the buzz was that the other players were all couples. He quit after just one round, then put down his phone, feeling depressed. As he looked out the window at the brightly lit city, he
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