Adela was startled, immediately lowering her head to avoid Dexter’s lips.Dexter was tall, standing at 6'2", while she was only 5'6". His kiss landed awkwardly on the top of her head.A strange sensation spread through her body. Adela stomped hard on Dexter’s shoe, her voice firm, "Let me go!"Dexter released her, lowering his gaze to the new scuff mark on his freshly bought shoes. He smirked playfully. "Spend a night with me, and I’ll pay you too."Adela was taken aback by his mocking tone, stepping back as she clutched the wall for support, her chest heaving in anger.Her eyes locked onto Dexter, but after barely three seconds, her courage faltered, and she turned and ran off.Dexter waited until her figure disappeared from sight before leaning heavily against the wall.He pulled out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it, his frustration evident.……Adela had no idea how she made it back home.Once inside, her throat felt raw and metallic, her chest tight as if she’d just run a gru
The leader didn’t want to provoke Dexter, so he took the opportunity to back down. Smiling, he took the bag and counted the money, saying, "Still two hundred thousand short."Barnes nodded. "It’s late at night, and there’s a child here. How about we talk another day?"Dexter also nodded. "I think another day sounds good. Don’t you agree?"The leader thought for a moment. "Fine, let’s talk another day."And so, what could have been a major scene took a different turn thanks to Dexter’s arrival.Once the house quieted down, Dexter resisted the urge to swing the iron rod at Calvin. He growled through gritted teeth, "If you weren’t Adela’s father, I’d kill you."Calvin gave a bitter smile. In truth, he wasn’t even Adela’s biological father.Ella hugged the frightened Herbie, crying bitterly. "That’s it! No more discussion! We’re getting a divorce tomorrow!"Calvin lay limp on the ground like a dead fish, staring blankly at the ceiling. He murmured, "Fine, let’s get a divorce."Relief flas
The man on the other end of the call repeated what he had just said before hanging up.Layson held her phone in his hand, his expression complicated.The man had said that Adela’s father had hanged himself, her stepmother had run away, and only her younger sister was left at home.Layson knew that Adela had agreed to be a surrogate for the sake of her father. Now that her father was gone, there was no reason for Adela to remain in his bed.A flicker of pity and compassion crossed his eyes as he pulled Adela into his arms, speaking softly. "I’ll go with you later. Besides, I need to check on Dexter."Adela clung to his neck, crying into his chest.Her soft sobs were heart-wrenching to hear.Layson sighed, his tone soothing. "Why don’t you change your clothes first?"Adela nodded, sniffling as she hurriedly threw on her clothes and went to wash up.Layson dialed a number and instructed in a low voice, "I’ll send you a photo shortly. Find the person in the photo as quickly as possible."
"Liam, I think I may have found your sister."Liam Walton froze at Layson’s words, gripping the phone tightly."My sister has a star-shaped birthmark on her hip."Layson frowned, recalling the three times they had been intimate. Indeed, Adela had a star-shaped birthmark on her hip."She has it."Hearing Layson’s confident reply, Liam felt his nerves tighten."Where is she now?"Layson knew how much Liam cared about his long-lost sister. He had been searching for her for years."She’s in the slums. Come over."Layson hung up the call and walked toward Adela. She had calmed down somewhat compared to earlier, but she was still struggling to process everything that had happened.Hearing Layson’s voice, Adela looked up at him."So, I’m just someone nobody wanted."Layson looked at her, and for the first time, he felt a pang of discomfort in his chest. This girl had endured far too much.Adela felt a warm hand gently stroking her head. Looking up, she met Layson’s dark, calm eyes."Mr. Norm
Layson received a phone call as he stood near the doorway, gazing out into the dull light of the slums. It was one of his men.“We’ve got Ella,” the voice on the other end said. “She had the birthstone with her... and two hundred thousand dollars.”Layson ended the call and turned toward Adela, who sat quietly, staring off into space. Walking over to her, he crouched slightly to meet her gaze.“You gave your stepmother two hundred thousand dollars?” he asked, his tone calm but edged with curiosity.Adela blinked at him, her expression blank at first. It took her a moment to register what he was talking about. Then she remembered—the money she had given Ella to safeguard.“I didn’t want my dad gambling it away again,” she murmured. Her voice was soft, almost as if she were apologizing.Layson studied her for a moment. So that’s what Ella’s unreadable expression had meant when Adela handed her the money. Ella must have already decided to take the money and run. What Adela hadn’t anticip
Layson handed over the strand of Adela’s hair to Liam Walton before heading back to his office. There was a pile of emails waiting for him, and he needed to catch up.As he scanned through his inbox, the phone on his desk buzzed, lighting up with Dexter’s name. Layson sighed, already anticipating the irritation.“What is it?” Layson asked curtly.“The arrangements are all taken care of,” Dexter replied, his tone unusually serious. “Where is Adela now?”Layson’s brows furrowed slightly. Dexter’s concern for Adela wasn’t just casual or brotherly. There was something deeper there.“She’s fine. You don’t need to worry about her,” Layson replied dismissively.Dexter let out a frustrated breath on the other end. He knew Layson wouldn’t easily divulge Adela’s whereabouts. This wasn’t just a check-in call—it was about something else entirely.“Why was Liam Walton here today?” Dexter finally asked.Layson leaned back in his chair. Of course, Dexter would notice Liam’s presence. Adela’s situati
Morning light poured into the room as Adela stirred awake. The clock on the bedside table read a little after ten. She yawned, stretching, but froze when she realized the space next to her was empty.Herbie wasn’t there.Panic set in instantly, and Adela’s voice came out in a frantic cry, “Herbie! Where are you?”“Here, sister!”Herbie’s small voice called out as she walked into the room, a piece of bread in her hand. Adela exhaled sharply, relief washing over her like a wave.“Herbie, where did you get that bread?” Adela asked as she moved to pull her little sister close, inspecting her carefully.“The man from yesterday brought it over,” Herbie replied, her face lighting up with innocence.Adela paused, confused for a moment. She assumed Herbie meant Layson, though she didn’t realize it was actually Barnes who had delivered the food.“Herbie,” Adela said softly, crouching down to Herbie’s level. “You can’t open the door for strangers, okay? Call for me first. Promise?”Herbie nodded
Layson looked at her for a moment, his sharp eyes searching hers. Without a word, he gestured for Barnes to untie Ella.“Untie her.”At his command, Barnes stepped forward to untie Ella’s bindings. Once freed, Ella stretched her stiff wrists and glared at Barnes with indignation, as though she were the victim in all of this.Adela walked forward and bent down slightly to help Ella to her feet. Her voice was calm but probing. “Ella, do you know why my dad suddenly decided to take his own life?”Ella’s expression shifted slightly, and she hesitated before replying. “I honestly don’t know. That morning, I went out to buy some groceries with Herbie, and when I got back… Calvin had already hanged himself.”Her voice wavered as she recounted the event, but Adela could sense an air of defensiveness, like Ella was trying to absolve herself of blame.“I was terrified,” Ella continued, her tone growing more dramatic. “I had no idea what to do!”Her eyes darted around the room, feigning innocenc
The faint sound of running water from the bathroom made Adela drowsy. Before she knew it, her eyes had closed, and she drifted off into a deep sleep on the couch. When Layson stepped out of the bathroom, he found her curled up on the sofa, her breathing steady. He frowned slightly, then walked over to her.In her sleep, Adela felt herself being lifted by someone. The familiar, comforting scent of the person made her snuggle closer, her head resting against their chest. She didn’t wake up, but her movement surprised Layson. He had expected her to stir, but instead, she nestled into him, seeking warmth. A small smile tugged at his lips. She must have been exhausted to fall asleep so quickly. His heart ached for her.Adela didn’t know how long she had slept. She dreamed of something long and beautiful, something she didn’t want to wake up from. When she finally opened her eyes, the unfamiliar surroundings confused her, but the blanket covering her felt oddly familiar. She sat up, rubbing
“Your daughter’s in trouble, and you’re not going to go after Adela?” Ella stared at the letter in her hands, the words glaring back at her. The photo attached was blurry, but it was enough for Ella to believe everything written in the letter. She wasn’t actually worried about her daughter—she just wanted to cause trouble for Adela.Without a second thought, Ella untied the apron around her waist and threw it onto the table. She bolted out the door, startling the boss lady, who shouted after her, “Hey! What are you doing? You haven’t finished your work! Don’t you want your pay?”Ella didn’t even bother to respond. She waddled down the street, her face lighting up with a grin she hadn’t worn in a long time. After kidnapping Herbie last time, Ella had spent nearly three months in jail. Now, working at this small diner, she was barely scraping by. This letter was her golden ticket to get back at Adela and maybe even squeeze some money out of her.Ella didn’t care who sent the letter or w
Inside the bus, Lydia looked out the window silently as it passed by her former talent agency, the bright sunlight outside unable to penetrate the gloom she felt within. The posters outside the agency had already been replaced with new faces, which Lydia found bitterly ironic.After years of struggle, no one cared about her anymore. Her efforts had meant nothing in the end. She briefly shaded her eyes from the harsh sunlight, feeling a sudden pang of envy towards Adela. No wonder people resented her—her luck was simply too good. Adela had everything Lydia had always dreamed of: people who genuinely cared for her. Lydia couldn't help but envy that.She blocked the harsh sunlight with her hand, reflecting sadly on how some dreams were only achievable in one's own mind.Adela returned to her quiet home, unused to the stale atmosphere after half-covering her nose. The house felt lifeless after being empty for so long. Herbie had woken up, and Adela was back home briefly to gather some nec
Inside the ICU, Herbie's life-monitoring equipment suddenly sounded an alarm, making everyone outside immediately alert and stand up anxiously. Doctors and nurses quickly rushed into the room. Adela nervously clutched Layson's hand, her eyes reddening again with worry.The hospital director arrived swiftly after receiving the news. He gently patted Layson's shoulder at the doorway, reassuring him that he would do his best. The corridor outside fell into a tense silence, filled with suffocating anxiety.Unable to face the scene, Adela turned her back to the glass window, sitting on a chair with closed eyes, praying silently for good news from the doctors. Seeing his mother so distressed, Ralph hurried over and quietly grasped her hand. Without speaking, he gently comforted her by staying silently by her side.At this moment, there was nothing more they could do but wait for the doctors' results, hoping fate would spare the young child who still had her whole life ahead.After about fif
At the entrance of the Starry Building, a dark red sports car was parked conspicuously. Bard leaned casually against the door, attracting plenty of attention, though he couldn't care less. His lips curled into a cocky smirk as he stared intently toward the main entrance.When Marah walked out and spotted Bard standing there, she felt a pang of surprise, quickly replaced by annoyance.Seeing the woman he'd been waiting for, Bard confidently approached Marah, holding a bouquet of bright red roses. Marah avoided eye contact but found herself unable to move away. When Bard reached her, she snapped irritably, "Why are you here? Didn't I tell you to stop bothering me?"Ignoring her cold tone, Bard handed her the roses, his voice carefree and arrogant. "I came to take you out to dinner. Let's go."When Bard reached to grab her hand, Marah immediately pulled away in disgust. She couldn't stand the sight of him—his smug, oily face made her uncomfortable. "I'm not going."She turned to leave bu
Behind the glass window, the figure on the hospital bed lay motionless, surrounded by medical equipment. Each flicker and beep on the life-monitoring devices made the observers' hearts tighten anxiously.Adela, escorted by Layson Norman, repeatedly reminded herself to stay calm and not collapse again. But when she stood in front of the window looking at Herbie, her heartache was overwhelming. She covered her mouth, desperately trying to hold back tears, but they streamed down uncontrollably.Layson reached out to comfort her, but Adela resisted, unwilling to tear her eyes away from Herbie. The memory of that huge advertising board crashing down haunted her; despite being so close, she couldn’t protect her sister.“Adela, please don't do this. We'll do everything we can to make her better,” Layson murmured gently, pain evident in his weary eyes, accentuating his rugged yet handsome features.He forcibly pulled her into his embrace. Adela buried herself in his chest, clinging tightly to
Layson Norman stayed with Adela in the hospital room the whole time. She didn’t fall back asleep, but stared blankly at the ceiling, replaying every scene from the mall incident over and over in her mind. She vividly remembered everything, especially the moment when she felt her heart nearly stop.Seeing Adela lying there with empty eyes, Layson knew she was deeply worried about Herbie. At this moment, he felt utterly powerless. He was a man who could command storms in the business world, yet now he was completely helpless in front of Adela. Silence filled the room, leaving only the quiet sound of their breathing.Suddenly, a noise from outside broke the tense silence. A young voice called loudly from the doorway, “Mommy! Mommy!”Adela turned her head slightly and saw Ralph’s small figure appear. Her eyes, previously unfocused, regained a hint of clarity. She realized she must have scared Ralph terribly. She could faintly remember hearing his anxious cries when she collapsed that day.
Adela’s eyes fluttered open, her vision hazy as she adjusted to the harsh hospital lighting. The first thing she saw was Layson sitting beside her, his expression filled with worry, exhaustion, and something else—something deeper. But her mind was still blank, struggling to make sense of everything.Across the room, Spencer Walton suddenly snapped out of his daze. In his rush to leave, he nearly tripped over the bed frame. “I—I’ll get the doctor,” he muttered hastily before disappearing out the door.Within minutes, the doctor arrived, flanked by nurses. They quickly began assessing her condition.“Miss Walton, do you feel dizzy?” the doctor asked, shining a small flashlight into her pupils. The sudden brightness made her squint, her senses slowly coming back.The room was filled with soft murmurs and the gentle hum of medical equipment, but the one thing Adela noticed most was the warmth of the hand holding hers. A steady, firm grip that provided a deep sense of security. She knew in
The moment Lydia finally opened up, the officers in the interrogation room exchanged surprised glances. They had braced themselves for an all-night standoff, expecting her to stay silent or keep playing mind games. But she had finally cracked.They pressed on."Was it a man or a woman? How did they contact you?"The dimly lit room had only a single overhead lamp casting shadows on the walls. Earlier, Lydia had found the lighting oppressive, but now she was grateful for it. At least it hid the redness of her eyes.She fought back the tears that threatened to fall, forcing a smirk onto her lips to hold them back. But her gaze lingered on Liam Walton. This might be the only time she’d ever be this close to him. In a twisted way, she was grateful for it."A woman," she finally said. "She approached me first. Back when the rumors about me and Layson Norman were spreading, she called me out of nowhere. I thought she was a reporter or some crazy fan at first. But she was persistent. She kept