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 cNight 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
Soon, Emily found herself in Friedel's presence.As she prepared to articulate her purpose, the man abruptly raised his head. In a cold voice, Friedel suggested, "Come on, let's go into the study first." He turned and ascended the stairs.Positioned behind him, Emily tilted her head slightly to observe his complete figure, the cadence of his walk, the sweep of his hand movements... It all felt so familiar.Emily's thoughts involuntarily drifted back to Derek, and she let out a small sigh.Was it merely the yearning for him that made any semblance seem like him?Suppressing her emotions, Emily followed him up the stairs. The study was spacious, and Friedel settled on the balcony. It was about ten meters from where Emily stood by the door."I've agreed to the collaboration you proposed earlier," Friedel declared, sitting on an office chair, his dark eyes sweeping over her blandly. "However, I need to assess your capabilities first."Emily responded w
It was already past eleven o'clock at night, and the entire villa had fallen into silence, except for Nick, who was still playing games in his room.Emily went back to her room to freshen up. As she pushed open the door, she noticed that the lights had been turned off at some point. She frowned and reached for the switch on the wall.Suddenly, a powerful force clamped onto her wrist...The bedroom plunged into darkness, and Emily detected a strong scent. Her initial thought was that it was Derek, but the grip on her wrist was so forceful that it almost felt like it would break.Derek, whether before or after his amnesia, would never have been this rough with her.Emily raised her foot and kicked a chair, but the man skillfully avoided it. In the darkness, he yanked her by the wrist and threw her onto the bed. His tall figure pressed down on her."Emily, it seems that you're living a carefree life. Did you already forget who I am?" a cold, low voice rang
After Emily, Derek, and the four kids finished their cozy dinner, Derek went to do the dishes, while the kids went to the yard to play.Suddenly, a sharp and abrupt ring echoed through the house. Derek walked from the kitchen to the living room and picked up the phone.Emily sat on the sofa with her hand on her chin, silently gazing at the handsome Derek. However, her thoughts drifted, contemplating the possibility that even if Gimson were arrested again and placed in a dungeon with reinforced defenses, he would still manage to escape.Gimson was too tricky, and Derek, a decent man, was no match for him at all. Unless Gimson was killed...As soon as this thought surfaced in Emily's mind, she was shocked. When had she become so cruel and cold-blooded as to consider killing someone to get rid of Gimson? Shaking her head, she banished this bizarre thought from her mind.At that moment, Derek's face had darkened."What do you mean... that it was
Emma let out a silent sigh and turned to ascend the stairs. Emily's hands were tucked into her coat pockets as she took a step upstairs. The bedroom door pushed open, and Emily caught the heavy odor of smoke."You need to leave," Gimson's eyes landed on Emma's face, and he coldly spat out these words.All of Emma's words were stifled; she didn't dare to confront her son. She took three steps out of the room and closed the door behind her.Emily stood in the room, her voice cold, "What do you want?"Gimson's eyes fell on her hands. He coldly said, "Hands out."Emily obediently withdrew her hands."Take off your jacket and throw it at the floor," Gimson ordered coldly.Emily complied without hesitation, tossing the jacket to the ground, a crisp sound emanating from it."Hiding knives in your pockets again, Emily?"Emily sneered defiantly, "Against you, a knife is sufficient."Gimson fumbled in his pocket and pul
In the villa, four children snuggled up to Emily. Beyond this cozy scene, Emma stood silently, her eyes red. She had witnessed Gimson taking Emily away, but now it was Derek who brought her back.What about Gimson? Where did he go?She wanted to ask but didn't dare.Derek soon entered from outside, his face cold, and his gaze fell indifferently on Emma's face.Emma avoided his eyes and, with trembling lips, said, "I'm a bit uncomfortable; I'll go back first.""Don't you want to know where Gimson is?" Derek halted Emma with one word. He spoke in a cold voice, "Chris, take your siblings upstairs."Chris understood that this was an adult conversation and obediently led the siblings upstairs by their hands.Emma covered her chest and slowly asked, "Derek, what did you do to your brother...""It wasn't me who did anything to him; it was him who chose a path of death," Derek said in a cold voice. "He's dead; I killed him myse
After Gimson died, Emily was finally able to work at the office alone.Derek managed the company's documents during this period, making decisions on major matters, while Emily's assistant handled some minor tasks. A pile of documents accumulated on the desk over the past two weeks.In the morning, Emily reviewed the project documents that hadn't been filed yet. It must be acknowledged that Derek's approach was truly wise, and many complex cases seemed straightforward through his methods. After perusing a dozen or so project cases, Emily felt that her business acumen had elevated to another level."Ms. Hopkins, everyone is here. It's time for the meeting," Emily's assistant softly announced, knocking on the door. Emily nodded, closed the file, and stood up, heading to the conference room.Absent from the company for over half a month, she needed the meeting to catch up on the recent company developments."Ms. Hopkins, the company's financial state
Time flied, and before everyone realized it, a year had gone by.During this time, Charlotte's life abroad appeared calm and routine. She woke up early every day for classes, diligently completed assignments, engaged in academic discussions with her classmates, and participated in various club activities. In the eyes of her friends, she was a positive and energetic girl.Only she knew deep down that she had been waiting, waiting for the one she loved so dearly, the prince who had promised to come back for her.Late at night, Charlotte often found herself sitting alone at her small dormitory desk, gazing out the window at the starry sky, feeling a lingering sense of loss and loneliness in her heart. She had asked herself more than once where Kingsley was and why he never wrote or called.On this sunny day, Charlotte went to the school library as usual, ready to work on an important paper. She sat by the window, her desk piled high with various referenc
Kingsley knew deep down that Charlotte wasn't that kind of person, but the beast suppressed within him was roaring uncontrollably, and the malice rooted in the marrow of his bones surged through him, causing even his blood to boil.His eyes turned cold and gloomy as he glanced towards Charlotte's siblings, emotions spiraling out of control within him.If without them...If...Kingsley suddenly felt a weight on his shoulders.He turned to see Freya's hand resting there, her expression hardened, eyes gazing up at him with concern.Charlotte pushed past Aaron and edged forward.Seeing Kingsley's obviously troubled eyes, her heart raced, her voice becoming raspy and hard to hear. "Wait... for me..."At the sound of her voice, Kingsley visibly froze, then the darkness in his eyes lifted abruptly as he stared into hers, his tone somewhat uncertain. "Charlotte? What's with your voice?"Charlotte's eyes reddened, but she bit her
On this day, Charlotte's siblings took her to the hospital to visit Kingsley at Derek and Emily's insistence.At the hospital entrance, Freya and Chris chatted as they walked toward Kingsley's room. Charlotte's footsteps behind them were eager, and Diana held her back, squeezing her hand to calm her.Charlotte glanced at her sister, understanding the concern in Diana's eyes, biting her lip to suppress the impatience in her heart.She couldn't be blamed for being eager; since witnessing Kingsley jump from the school building rooftop, she hadn't exchanged a word with him.Their closeness was stark, yet they were almost separated by life and death. The image of Kingsley jumping from the building was like a nightmare etched in her mind.Thinking about it brought back that choking feeling, making her breath quicken. She forced herself to endure it, following her siblings into the exclusive elevator that took them straight to Kingsley's floor.&nb
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the cracks in the curtains, spilling onto the carpet.Charlotte opened her eyes just in time to see Emily changing the water at her bedside. Emily was surprised when she noticed Charlotte waking up. "Charlotte, you're awake!"Charlotte nodded silently.There was a faint sound coming from outside the door. Charlotte glanced over, her expression puzzled. Emily explained beside her, "Ian and Diana are both back, and your father is outside interrogating them."Charlotte's expression shifted slightly at that news. She looked somewhat anxious.This matter was clearly her own problem, yet it seemed her father was pursuing it as if her brothers and sister were solely responsible, which felt unfair to them. The guilt inside her intensified as she thought about it.Seeing Charlotte attempting to get up, Emily quickly intervened, "Hey, Charlotte, don't move! Your injuries haven't healed yet!"As if sensi
The Scott family manor was brightly lit.After more than three years, the Scott family once again activated the first level of defense. The black-clothed bodyguards, who were early at the Scott family manor, stood firmly on guard, while the Scott family servants gathered in the hall and garden, heads lowered, waiting strictly.Vehicles neatly lined up and entered the gates of the Scott family, bypassing the open-air fountain and proceeding towards the main house.Chris's face was vaguely pale; he had learned from a phone call with Diana on the way that their parents had returned. Emily and Derek were already aware of everything that had happened.Judging by their current demeanor, one could see that Emily and Derek were genuinely angry. After all, they had kept the truth from Emily and Derek for so long, and now it was revealed after such a significant accident.Beside them, Charlotte remained silent and withdrawn. Her once clear and bright
It was hard for her to believe that the clean, even a little shy Kingsley she knew and the bloodthirsty, horrible person in front of her were the same person.She had always known that Kingsley's condition was serious, but it was only when she was confronted head-on for the first time that she realized just how horrible it was. Kingsley didn't even look like a normal person at this point."Kingsley!" Freya's expression changed; she became nervous and cautious as she slowly stepped forward. "Drop the knife and come here, let me see your wound."At this point, Theo's death was completely unimportant. If Kingsley is allowed to see more bloodshed or even directly kill Theo, I'm afraid his condition will worsen, and he won't be able to regain his sanity at all.In the face of Freya's coaxing, Kingsley did not react at all. Holding the knife in one hand, he pressed his other hand against Theo's neck harder and harder."Kingsley!" Freya was anxious, but she d
Outside the school, Charlotte was escorted to a waiting car. The vehicle was equipped with special materials, bulletproof and resistant to various thermal weapons. Even though the school's premises had been cleared of bombs, Theo had come prepared, and no one knew if he had any other plans lurking in the shadows. Chris wasn't about to let his sister take such a risk.The people at the school had no idea what kind of life-and-death disaster they had just narrowly avoided. They all emerged from the school, unaware of the danger they had faced. They got into various luxury cars and departed one after another. Originally, Carl wanted to wait at the door, but with too many acquaintances coming and going, he had no choice but to hide in the Scott family's car.Chris voiced his concern, "Are you sure Theo will keep his word?""Not entirely," Carl replied, taking off his gold-rimmed glasses and impatiently rubbing his brow. "But Kingsley had to take a gamble on whether Theo still had it in
When these words were spoken, all the bodyguards present were shocked. Theo was filled with disbelief."What did you say? You're going to declare war on me in the manner of the Livingston family?" Theo almost laughed out loud. "Do you know what you're talking about?"Carl's face hardened for a moment as well. "Kingsley, calm down!"Kingsley, however, paid no attention to him. He stared into Theo's eyes, showing no hint of hesitation or fear. He said, "I know exactly what I'm doing, so don't you dare underestimate me."This declaration made Theo's face darken, his expression obscure, filled with deep thoughts.Charlotte looked at Chris somewhat helplessly. She didn't understand what was happening. Was this a big gamble by Kingsley?Chris composed himself, looked towards Kingsley and Theo's confrontation, and softly explained, "The Livingston family has rules. Members can challenge each other when there are disputes or unavoidable conflicts. They fight one-on-one in a life-and-death due
Ben held Charlotte at gunpoint, then glanced at Theo, who sat calmly and inquired, "What do you want?""I know you plan to use her against Kingsley and the Livingston family. My request is simple: ten million dollars and a getaway car," Ben stated viciously."Oh? You're not seeking vengeance for your family?" Theo remained composed."I'm not naive! I know how to negotiate with someone like you for maximum gain. You never intended to aid in avenging my family, did you?"Theo chuckled softly. "Looks like you're still somewhat sharp, but... still an idiot!"At Theo's words, two black-clad bodyguards suddenly emerged, advancing toward Ben."Aren't you worried I'll kill her? Then you'd have nothing to hold over Kingsley!" Ben exclaimed in panic."Foolish! My aim was always to destabilize Kingsley mentally. If you did kill Charlotte, I'd owe you gratitude."Hearing this, panic flashed in Ben's eyes, and in his haste, he aimed his pistol at Theo.