Gilbert's face abruptly changed when seeing the person coming in. He quickly ended the call with his fingers.Madalyn came over with chicken gnocchi soup. She looked at his cell phone suspiciously, "Who did you call just now?""No one." Gilbert took the chicken gnocchi soup and said, "Grandma, why didn't you knock on the door before you came in?"Madalyn frowned, "Why? Do you have something to hide from me? You didn't say anything when I came casually into your room before. Why are you fussing about it now?"Madalyn turned her attention to his mobile phone again as she said, "Tell me. Who are you calling just now? Why are you afraid I'll hear it?""Grandma, don't be suspicious all the time. I was just on the phone with an unknown client."Madalyn obviously did not believe it.Suddenly, a call rang at this moment.Madalyn hurried over to see. She saw the words 'Unknown Client' appear on the screen. Madalyn pursed her lips in embarrassment and looked at him, "I'm not suspicious e
Madalyn was stunned for a while when Kisa's mom was suddenly mentioned. Then, her old brows frowned in displeasure. "Why do you mention her mom when everything is nice?""I just want to know, did I have any relationship with her mom when I was a child.""No. That woman is a pest, and so is the daughter she gave birth to. From now on, don't mention them in front of me.""But why..." Gilbert thought about it but still asked directly, "Why did Kisa tell me that her mom asked her to use her life to protect a man named 'Gilbert Kooper' before her mom passed away? Is me the 'Gilbert Kooper' that her mom mentioned?"Madalyn sneered when she heard this, "Humph! Let her daughter guard you with her life? Does she have a guilty conscience? Luckily she died. If not, I would tell her that even if her daughter has a thousand or ten thousand lives, it is not enough to compensate. Does she want to use this to make up to you? No way!"Gilbert grasped the main point in her words instantly. "Make up
Of course! It was the man who always liked to have a gloomy face, as if someone owed him a lot of money.Kisa got annoyed when she saw Gilbert.'What is the meaning of pestering me again since you blocked me?'Kisa did not even bother to give him a look as she stood up and walked to the set.Gilbert grabbed her wrist, "Kisa, what's the meaning of this?""Mr. Kooper, behave yourself." Kisa broke away from his big hand and attempted to pass him.The man strode over and stood in front of her again. "Why can't I get through your phone? Are you blocking me?" The man asked angrily.Kisa smiled brightly at him, "Yes. I treated you in the same way as you did. So you won't have to suffer.""You!" Gilbert gasped in anger. But he suppressed his anger in the end and explained to her patiently, "I didn't block you, I...""Ah! Gilbert, why are you hiding here secretly with this woman? Grandma will be dizzy with anger if she finds out you are still in a relationship with her," Sharon appeare
"Aunty Kisa, you're back." It was Andrew who opened the door for her. Kisa was dumbfounded. 'Why is he here? How did he get here? Didn't the Kooper family do anything?' Ada and Blake also came over while Kisa was deep in thought."Aunty Kisa!""Aunty Kisa!"Kisa was petrified at the door for a long time before walking in. She hung the wet bag on the rack and asked them, "How did you come here? Who sent you here?""Daddy brought us here."Kisa froze while she was changing out her shoes. 'How can I forget that man has the key to this house? But why did he suddenly bring the kids over? Is it because I ignored him, so he wants to use the children to improve our relationship?'"Aunty Kisa, we miss you so much."The children hugged her when she was thinking, but as Kisa was drenched, she hurriedly pushed them away and said with a smile, "Play by yourselves for a while. I need to change my clothes." Kisa turned around and walked to her room as she said that.She caught a glimpse of Gi
However, Kisa instantly felt the anger rushing straight to her forehead, and her face flushed red abruptly. She quickly raised her hand to cover her chest and burst into tears."Gilbert, you are too much!"Gilbert obviously had yet to recover from the shock. His pair of dark eyes aggressively lingered on her body. Kisa was furious that she kicked him. However, having good reflexes, not only did Gilbert avoid her kick, but also, her foot was grabbed by his big hand. In an instant, she was lying in front of him in an extremely embarrassed and ugly posture.Kisa was both ashamed and angry, wanting to pull back her feet, but the man held her tighter. She yelled unbearably, "Let me go!"Right at that moment, there was a shout from outside the door suddenly, "Daddy, Aunty Kisa, what are you doing?"Kisa's whole body tensed up, and her face turned even redder. A pair of watery eyes stared at the man in front of him hatefully, wishing she could kill him.But the man was calm and composed
Kisa's heart skipped a beat, but when she thought this man was full of lies, she fought back her raptness. 'He always lies as if it were true. The truth is, I really don't understand him anymore.'Seeing that Kisa was still angry, Gilbert stroked her wet hair and said, "Come on, don't be angry. I didn't mean to block you. My grandmother was next to me at the time, and I was afraid she would answer the call. That was why I blocked you for a short while. If I had known you would be so angry, I wouldn't have blocked you."He spoke with sincerity and remorse. As angry as Kisa was, she did not go to the point of being unreasonable. "You were with your grandma?" Kisa looked at him.Gilbert nodded. "Mhm, I regretted it after I hung up the phone. I wanted to call you back to say sorry, but then Grandma came in. I was afraid that she would find out about our relationship, so that was why I did that."Kisa said nothing, her silence seemingly as if assessing the credibility of his words."Ac
Gilbert came out from the room, and Kisa quickly pushed him back in, whispering to him, "Does Grandma know you brought Andrew and Ada here?"Gilbert nodded. "Yes.""Then wouldn't she know you are still seeing me? And how would she be willing to let Andrew and Ada come here?""You don't have to worry. It is thanks to Blake.""Blake?" She was puzzled.Gilbert smiles. "Everyone loves Blake, and Grandma is no exception. So I took Blake to the Kooper residence to meet Grandma first. Blake told Grandma he wanted to invite Andrew and Ada to play at his place, and Grandma agreed without thinking. Since she knew Blake stayed at Jensen's place, I brought the children to your house, but Grandma would only think they were at Jensen's. Besides, I have also given Jensen a heads-up.""No wonder." Kisa nodded.Gilbert doted on her, stroking her long, silky hair, and whispered, "You haven't seen the children for a long time. You can get together with them this time. Besides, they missed you so m
He decided to tell her about Andrew's and Ada's identity on her birthday. At first, he was afraid she would use the children to help Jensen against him. But after spending so many days with her, he felt maybe it was really him who had misunderstood her. He realized that there was really nothing between her and Jensen, and if she really liked Jensen, she would not have made up and even been so intimate with him. Not only that, he could also see that she really liked those two children. So he still wanted to take a gamble.'If I win, then the family of four will be reunited in a real sense. If I lose, then I will accept it as fate. I will never love her again if Kisa uses the child against me. I will consider this as my last gamble, with the children as the wager. If I win, the reward would be our happiness; if I lose....' He lowered his eyes, forcing himself not to overthink and holding her hand tighter.Kisa looked at his hands in puzzlement. After a while, she asked, "What is wrong
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