After tucking a couple of kids into bed, Emily and Derek returned to their room.
"Derek, I wanted to ask you how it went with Serena," Emily inquired after much deliberation.Derek gave Emily a teasing look. "Are you jealous, honey?"Emily looked away, a little embarrassed. "No, it's just..."However, Derek suddenly interrupted her. "Look, it's all in the past between Serena and me. You're the only one in my heart right now, so don't worry about it. Serena's return isn't going to have any effect on our lives, okay?"After saying that, Derek reached out and touched Emily's head.Hearing Derek's sincere tone, Emily's face couldn't help but turn red. "No, Derek, I'm feeling a little off. Listen to me; I saw you tonight before we met at the bar, and you were talking to Serena.""What?" Derek frowned at Emily's words."Yes, but the next second, you were gone, and then I walked over to talk to Serena for a moment, only for you to suddenly come out tWhen Emily returned home from work in the evening, the only occupants of the living room were her four adorable children and the busy nanny."Where's your daddy?" Emily asked with a smile.Aaron blinked and replied, "I just saw Daddy heading outside. I don't know what he went to do."Chris nodded. "Daddy looked like he was in a hurry."Emily frowned. She didn't know why, but her heart suddenly felt uncomfortable, and her right eyelid started to twitch.Emma suddenly came over with a smile on her face. "Derek went out for something."Emily pursed her lips. "What did he go out to work on?""Something happened to the Scott Group's branch abroad," Emma lowered her voice and said. "Derek may have to travel for a while."The cloud of uncertainty in Emily's mind grew thicker. Why didn't Derek call her about this?She took out her cell phone and said, "Mom, I'll call Derek first."Emma's eyes flashed, and she smiled. "Okay, go ahead."E
Emily found herself disoriented, unsure of her location. Suddenly, a dense fog of blood obscured her vision, vast swaths of it advancing towards her. The suffocating sensation intensified as she struggled to breathe, gasping for air amid the crimson mist. Yet, within this eerie atmosphere, a familiar male voice cut through the murk."Emily...""Emily..."The voices echoed like desperate cries on the brink of demise."Who are you? Where are you?" Emily hissed, her words resonating through the blood-laden haze. However, there was no response. Her heart clenched, as though a knife had been ruthlessly twisted at its core.Suddenly, a huge pain came from her heart.And the pain soon engulfed her entire body...Emily abruptly opened her eyes, realizing it was merely a nightmare.This recurring dream had haunted her for over ten consecutive nights. Each time, the voice calling her name belonged to Derek. Perhaps, it was the result of their prolonged separation and her intense longing for him
The next day.Emma sat in the living room watching TV when she heard Emily coming downstairs. She snapped back to reality and momentarily froze upon seeing Emily, then quickly regained her composure."Emma, I'm heading to work," Emily announced as she stood in the foyer changing her shoes, her face calm and unruffled.Derek had disappeared the previous night after she fell asleep, and there was no sign of him when she woke up. And the kids had already left for school.Approaching Emily with a smile, Emma inquired, "Don't you want breakfast? Last night..." Emma hesitated, then continued, "Did you sleep well?"Emily nodded lightly and replied, "Derek came back in the middle of the night yesterday. Did you know that?""I... I just knew that..." Emma averted her eyes and sighed, "Derek is a workaholic. When he's focused on work, he forgets everything. Emily, don't be upset with Derek for this, okay?"Emily stared at Emma for a moment, kindly smiled, an
The gazes of the two met in the air.Emily pursed her scarlet lips and took a step down the stairs.As she raised her eyes to speak, her gaze landed on the man's collar, adorned with conspicuous and piercing big red lipstick.Emily's lips tightened. She reached for a tissue from the entryway cabinet, walked over, and gently said, "Bend down a little at the waist."Gimson, unsure of her intentions, complied, bending over slightly.Emily then wiped off the lipstick marks on his collar.She raised her cool eyes, scrutinizing, and uttered, "Derek, let's have a nice chat.""What do you want to chat about?" Gimson looked at Emily with interest, admiring her scarlet lips and slim figure. Even he had to admit that she was a first-class beauty.He stepped forward and suddenly hooked Emily's chin. In the next second, he noticed a hint of disgust in Emily's eyes."You hate me?" Gimson asked in a low voice.Emily smiled slightly, "Not hating, bu
The next morning, Emily and her four kids gathered around the dining table for breakfast with Emma.After nearly finishing their meal, Emily spoke up, "Yesterday, I received a call from abroad."Emma set down her chopsticks, asking, "Was the call about something important?"Emily nodded, "Yes. When I came back with Chris and Diana, I was in a hurry, and some formalities were left incomplete. They called to ask me to go over and complete the final paperwork. So, I want to take Chris and Diana on a trip out of the country."Emma furrowed her brow, questioning, "Do you have to go in person?"Emily smiled, "Yes. Plus, my friends abroad helped me a lot during that time, so I thought I'd visit them as well."Emma expressed her disapproval, "Chris and Diana are still young; it's too much trouble to go abroad, and adapting to a new environment can lead to sickness...""Grandma, my sister and I have lived abroad for many years, and we want to go back and vi
Gimson squinted, a look of caution in his eyes. "Why?""Can't you guess why I'm doing this?" Emily choked out, her voice becoming even more hoarse. "It's only been a year since we got married, and you have changed so much. Such a marriage won't last long at all. Instead of getting divorced later and arguing over child custody, it would be better... I hid the kids ahead of time. Yes, I am a despicable person, Derek, that's how despicable I am! I worked hard to give birth to four children, and I won't allow you to take them from me!"Emily stormed towards Gimson, yelling hysterically.Gimson frowned. "What's wrong with you? When did I agree to divorce? When did I want to fight you for custody? Don't be paranoid anymore!""You just want to steal the child from me!" Emily shook her head hastily, her face pale and weak. "Rose wanted to take away Ian and Aaron before. You're worse than her. You also want to take away Diana and Chris. You married me just to steal four c
Night fell, and the unmistakable scent of disinfectant lingered in the air, both pungent and unpleasant. Around 8:30, Derek guided Serena through the entrance of the hospital room."Mr. Scott, could you excuse us for a moment?" Serena turned to him, her gaze unwavering. "It's best not to have a third party present during psychotherapy, so please cooperate."Gimson glanced at Emily, silently inquiring if she wanted him to stay. The concern for Emily reflected in his eyes caused Serena a twinge of heartache. She lowered her head to conceal the subtle sadness in her eyes.Emily then looked up and instructed, "Derek, step outside and return when your treatment is finished."Gimson rose from his seat, his thin lips tensed, and he said, "Emily, just call out if anything happens." He turned and exited the room, slowly pulling the door shut behind him.Inside the hospital room, only two women remained. Serena pulled a chair close to the hospital bed and spoke softly
Inside the room, Emily sat on the balcony, tightly clutching a diamond ring. It was the same ring Derek had placed on her finger on their wedding day, and fortunately, she hadn't impulsively discarded it.This sea-blue ring had become the sole reminder of Derek, and she couldn't help but wonder about the ring she had given him—where could it be now?Emily's face was streaked with tears. For the first time in her life, she felt lost and uncertain about what to do next.If not for their four children, she would kill Gimson without no hesitation at the price of her life. However, the thought of her children was her vulnerable spot, forcing her to compromise.Whenever she thought about the children, her heart ached like a knife cutting through her. They loved Derek dearly, but he was gone.Was Derek truly dead? Why couldn't she bring herself to believe that he had left this world?Emily bit her lip until it broke the skin.Her eyes, filled with t