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
On the day of her birthday, even the weather was on her side. The sky had been pouring rain since morning, turning the atmosphere white velvet. So the crew had the day off, and she could prepare for her birthday.Kisa attached little importance to her birthday. So on this day, she did not decorate her house but just bought a lot of ingredients, thinking it would be enough to cook a nice meal at home and then enjoy the moment with Gilbert.Kisa brought all the ingredients she had bought into the kitchen. Her body was soaked through, along with the groceries, as it was pouring outside when she came home. After putting the ingredients in the kitchen, she went straight to the bathroom to shower. When she came out of the shower, she subconsciously glanced at her phone and found that Gilbert had called her twice. She called back at once, taking the phone and waiting for him to answer while she walked toward the kitchen, intending to sort out the ingredients.The call was quickly answered,
Madalyn stood in front of two tombstones with a sad face. They were the tombstones of her son and daughter-in-law, whom she had not visited during the years she was in a coma. Gilbert did not even know these two tombstones existed and was even less likely to visit them. In the past few years, only George had paid visits and cleaned them up a bit. Madalyn looked at the two bright, young, smiling faces in the photos, which were embedded in the tombstones, her heart full of sorrow. She could never forget that day, the car accident that brought her grief and despair. She bent forward slightly, her hands trembling as she wiped the photos on the tombstones. When she spoke, her frail voice was choked with grief."I'm sorry. It took so long for me to come to see you two."Madalyn's hunched back looked frail in the chilly wind. George held the umbrella with one hand and gently supported her with the other. The few black umbrellas looked particularly mournful in the cemetery. Madalyn cried for
"Don't tell your daddy about this place that Grandma brought you to today. Also, don't tell your daddy about your grandparents either, okay?""Why is that?"Children always had a lot of questions. Madalyn sighed and said, "Because if you tell your daddy, he will be very upset, you know?"The two children nodded their heads in acknowledgment. As they sat in the car, Andrew and Ada could not help but look back toward the cemetery. 'So they were our grandparents,' they both thought to themselves."Great-Grandma, will you bring Ada and me to see our grandparents again?" Andrew asked."Yeah. I will bring you two over every year on this day.""Okay." Andrew nodded and exchanged a smile with Ada.As the car arrived at the Kooper residence and pulled into the car porch, Madalyn saw someone come up to her before she even got out of the car. She could not help but frown with disgust."Mrs. Kooper Sr." The person was Sharon, who solicitously wanted to help Madalyn get out of the car. But
Sharon broke free from the servants and headed for the house with a smug look.Madalyn sat down on the couch and stuck her cane up, her face calm. "Say, what proof you have. Don't try to fool me.""Don't worry. I have enough evidence here. Otherwise, I wouldn't have dared to come to you." Sharon grunted and took out her phone, showing a photo to Madalyn. "Look at this first."Madalyn took the phone with a sullen face. The photo was a snapshot of intimate text messages between Gilbert and Kisa.Sharon sneered. "You can scroll down. There are many more intimate conversations and call history between Gilbert and that woman, which I had someone take pictures of from the woman's phone."Madalyn browsed through the photos one by one, her creased hands shivering involuntarily.Seeing Madalyn's reaction, Sharon let out a triumphant smile. "I'm not lying to you, am I? Gilbert has been with that b*tch all this time."Madalyn finished browsing through the photos, handed the phone back to S
Andrew and Ada were lying on the window ledge of their room. They were relieved to see the maid kick Sharon out of the house."That bad woman has been kicked out, so Daddy should be fine, right?" Ada asked."Should be. Since Great-Grandma loves Daddy so much, she won't listen to that bad woman."Ada nodded her head and felt relieved. Children always think too simply and naively; how nice would it be if adults could be like them.In the CEO's office of GK Pictures, Davian placed the meeting summary on Gilbert's desk and said to the tired-looking Gilbert, "Mr. Kooper, I will do the rest of the work. You go celebrate your wife's birthday.""Okay." Gilbert pinched his sore brow, then got up to put on his jacket. Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly remembered something. "By the way, since I asked you to follow Jensen's men to find that warden, have things progressed?"Davian shook his head and frowned. "I almost forgot about it if you didn't ask.""How so?" Gilbert asked in a
Gilbert lowered his eyes and looked at the caller ID on the phone screen; it was the Kooper residence's landline number. A bad feeling washed through him, and he answered the phone with a frown."Mr. Kooper, come back quickly. Something has happened to Mrs. Kooper Sr." It was George speaking.Gilbert's heart sank, and he subconsciously gripped his cell phone. George was still on the phone, sobbing, seemingly in grief. Gilbert tensed up, his hand on the steering wheel shivering. He made a sudden U-turn and sped off toward the Kooper residence, and that abrupt change of direction flung the box off the seat onto the foot well, smashing the cake inside into a lump of creamy mess, just like something important in his heart shattered into pieces and could not be put together again.Kisa had already prepared the meal. The table was full of delicious dishes that gave out an appetizing aroma, but there was no one at the table. She was sitting straight on the couch, staring out the window in
Jensen pulled a man out of the elevator, followed by Adrien. The man was about the same age as Adrien, medium built, with a very white complexion. He looked so white that it seemed unnaturally sickly. The man had small eyes, and they were evasive, darting around with fear and anxiety.Jensen had the man's hands cuffed. He pulled on the handcuffs and brought the man in front of Kisa.Kisa subconsciously took a step back and looked at Jensen. "He... He is the warden?"Jensen nodded. "You can ask him questions about that fire back then."Kisa looked at the warden and was transfixed. Perhaps because of Gilbert's absence, she felt uneasy.After entering the house, Kisa poured a glass of water for Jensen and Adrien each. Adrien took the water and sat down on the couch while Jensen kicked the warden in the crook of his leg, sending the warden to drop to his knees."Please don't kill me. Please don't kill me." The warden prostrated himself to the floor, begging for mercy.Kisa looked at
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