"I'm perfectly aware of Win's feelings for me. My relationship with him is none of your business!"As Joanna spoke, she moved closer and carefully tucked the blanket around Sean. Her gaze was cold and threatening as she added, "Sean, just keep to yourself and don't interfere with my affairs. If you insist on meddling, then let's see what happens."With that, Joanna retracted her hand and shot Sean an intense look before striding out of the room.As Sean stared at her retreating figure, his fists clenched tightly. How dare she threaten him? Did she even have the right?A cold smirk spread across his face, his gaze filled with menace. If Joanna wanted to confront him, he'd be more than ready to face it. …The moment Joanna emerged from the ward, she glanced down the empty corridor and tried to hide her shaking hands. Now that Sean knew the truth, what was she supposed to do? He didn't seem like the type to be easily threatened. Was her secret about to be exposed? Joanna admitt
Yet, Joanna didn't appear in any of those videos."Eli, how's Win? Has he come around yet?" Joanna asked with concern.Eli shook his head. "Not yet."Then, he glanced toward Sean's ward, puzzled as to why Joanna had come out from there."As Win's assistant, you should take good care of him." Joanna's tone was laced with reproach.Eli gritted his teeth, unable to tolerate Joanna any longer. "And how did Mr. Greer end up in the sea? Wasn't it because of you, Ms. Lowell?" he snapped, almost spitting her name. Joanna's lips parted slightly as she noticed a change in Eli's tone. He usually spoke with a calm demeanor. Eli continued coldly, "Ms. Lowell, the woman who tried to push you off the cruise ship was hired by you." It wasn't a question. It was an accusation. Joanna was at a loss for how to defend herself. So, she retorted, "Yes, I hired her. What's the big deal?""Why would you do that? What was the purpose?" Eli asked with a frown. Her actions would only make Winston di
The hospital was unusually quiet that night. After scrolling through her phone for a while, Millie grew restless. To calm herself, she performed acupuncture on herself, using the technique to regain her energy.At 10:00 pm, Millie wandered through the corridor alone. Right then, she overheard the nurses gossiping at the nurses' station. "Who do you think is better looking, Mr. Greer or Mr. Stringer?" one of them asked.Another exclaimed, "Mr. Greer, of course! He's definitely the most attractive one!""But it seems like he's not great at handling relationships. He's always caught between Ms. Caldwell and Ms. Lowell.""Well, you know how men are. He's on top of his career, so he's clueless when it comes to love. If he had it all figured out, that wouldn't be fair, would it?""Come on, don't make excuses for men. A scumbag is a scumbag, no matter what!"Millie raised an eyebrow and chuckled at the last comment. She was glad to see that women were more clear-headed now. Indeed
It was a cruel twist of fate. Joanna had ruined the lives of everyone involved. "Who told you that?" Millie asked.Eli pursed his lips and answered, "Sonny Alpers. The man who kidnapped Mr. Greer."Millie frowned in response. Sonny? The name seemed to ring a bell."You might find the name familiar. He's the one I've visited a few times before," Eli explained.Millie suddenly remembered. The person Yoel had swiftly escorted out from the emergency department was Sonny. And the last time Eli visited a patient at the hospital, it was also Sonny! It turned out she had crossed paths with the kidnapper countless times without realizing it."So, Ms. Caldwell, you were the one who saved Mr. Greer, weren't you?" Eli inquired. Millie, now puzzled, countered, "Who else could it have been?""Why haven't you mentioned it at all over the past three years?"Millie calmly replied, "I thought he knew."Eli's smile was tinged with resignation. How could Winston have known if she hadn't told
It was 3:00 pm, and the Caldwell Villa was filled with enticing aromas. The dining table was filled with a spread of delicious dishes.Both Layla and Arthur watched as Millie cooked diligently in the kitchen. Arthur then asked Terrence, "What's going on with Millie?"He couldn't figure out why Millie had suddenly put together a grand spread for the family."Millie… Well, she'll explain herself shortly. I just hope you're both prepared for what she's about to say," Terrence answered. He was already aware of Millie's plans.After hearing Terrence's reply, Layla felt unsettled. "What is she up to now? First, she quit the job I arranged for her, and now, she's been wandering around, even hurting herself. Why can't she—"But before Layla could voice her frustration further, she fell silent as Millie appeared with the dishes. She stared at her granddaughter.Millie clapped her hands and announced with a grin, "Alright, now that the last dish is served, we're ready to eat!"She had pre
Now that Millie was interested in taking over the company, Terrence was thrilled. Meanwhile, Julia firmly believed that one day, her daughter would follow in her footsteps and become a designer."So, when are you leaving?" Layla asked.Millie glanced at the time and replied, "My flight is at eight tonight, and I'll head to the airport at 5:00 pm.""That soon?" Layla was taken aback. Millie nodded. "I want to get settled in for a few days before classes begin and meet with the professors. Since I've made up my mind, there's no reason to drag this out."Layla didn't respond. Millie could tell her grandmother's thoughts were somewhere else. Layla was reluctant to let her go regardless of what she chose to study. After all, her family were the ones who loved her most in the world.Right then, Arthur, who had remained quiet so far, let out a sigh. "Just go then."His words drew a scoff from Layla. "Are you going to cover the cost of her studying abroad? That's a lot of money!""Yes
"Eli, you… Is everything at the company taken care of?" Joanna asked gently with a smile, her hands clasped behind her back.However, Eli didn't even spare her a glance. Instead, he approached the bed and greeted Winston respectfully, "Mr. Greer." Winston hummed in acknowledgment. Joanna, on the other hand, furrowed her brow, visibly nervous. Why had Eli shown up now, of all times? He even locked the door. Was he about to reveal everything? What should she do if he told Winston the truth? Out of the corner of his eye, Winston noticed Joanna's growing unease. She had been acting strangely ever since Eli had entered the ward. Joanna bit her lip. If she were to confess to Winston now, would their years of friendship be enough to earn his forgiveness? The thought of it left her feeling deeply unsettled."Mr. Greer, I have something to report." Eli's tone was serious as he met Winston's gaze.Winston took a sip of water and gestured for him to proceed. He couldn't help but feel g
Eli knew that Joanna was completely flustered. She had audaciously tried to curry favor with him in front of Winston. She had truly lost her mind! Eli forcefully shoved Joanna aside, while Winston watched on helplessly. "Eli!" he called out, his voice tinged with reproach as he chided Eli for being too rough. In an instant, Joanna burst into tears and cried, "Win—"But before she could say more, Eli interrupted sharply, "Mr. Greer, Ms. Lowell has been lying to you.""I didn't!" Joanna quickly protested.Winston stared at her, his heart sinking. What could she have deceived him about?"Win, it's not true, I swear! I love you. Everything I've done is because of my love for you!" Joanna grabbed Winston's arm and pleaded, "Believe me, please."Winston was baffled. What were they talking about? Why was Joanna so worked up? He then held her hand and turned to Eli for answers.Feeling Winston's hand in hers, Joanna was overwhelmed by a mix of sadness and fear. She cherished how
While in the hospital, Millie rubbed her arms to keep warm. Then, the person on the bed woke up.Millie turned her head and looked at the person on the hospital bed. Winston's eyes were dull and showed signs of exhaustion. Their eyes met, and neither of them said a word.The nurse entered and saw that Winston was awake, so she patiently asked about his condition.He just kept looking at Millie without saying anything.Millie glanced at the nurse, signaling that she could continue with her work. Winston seemed fine now."You're not allowed to drink anymore," Millie said, her voice calm and indifferent.He closed his eyes, turned his head away, and didn't look at her again.Millie frowned and asked, "What do you mean by turning your head?"Winston remained silent, unable to speak because of the tightness in his throat.Millie poured a glass of water and asked him, "Would you like some water?"He still remained silent.Millie grew impatient and said, "Then I'll call Eli to take
Other than that word, Everly couldn't hear anything else."Dad, I can't hear what you're saying at all." Everly was becoming frustrated.Thomas exclaimed, "I said, Mills!""Yes, you're talking about Mills. And then? What about her?" Everly was extremely confused.She picked up her phone to check the time—it was already 3:00 am.She was about to lose it. From New Year's Eve till now, she did nothing but take care of Thomas."Dad, why don't we just go to sleep?" Everly didn't want to listen anymore.Whatever it was, she would be nice to Millie and not go up against her.She didn't like Millie before, but that was simply because she disliked how obsessed Millie was with romantic relationships."Oh! Ah!" Thomas suddenly started grumbling as he threw back the blanket. "Why can't you understand?"He was getting agitated.Everly was also getting extremely agitated. What exactly did she need to understand?He wasn't even speaking loud enough."I mean your sister! Millie!" Thomas s
Everly, feeling exasperated, helped Thomas off the couch and took him to the bathroom.Thomas lifted his head. His face was flushed, and his eyes dazed over. "My daughter, my daughter, I didn't throw up…"Everly looked at the mess on the ground and felt a headache coming on. Thomas had already thrown up, yet he still claimed he hadn't."You're drinking so much even though you can't handle it!" Everly shouted."What are you saying? It's like you're saying, saying, saying… ugh!" Thomas immediately leaned over the toilet, unable to finish his sentence. It was like he was speaking in tongue twisters, and no one could understand him.Everly sighed. She twitched her nose and turned to go outside to wait for him.Ten minutes went by, and Everly had finished tidying up the house. There was no sound coming from the washroom where Thomas was.Everly furrowed her brows and called out, "Dad?"Fine. It seemed like he was going to end up sleeping on the toilet.Everly walked over and, as ex
"I'll go get your medicine for you. Wait a moment." Millie intended to get the medicine from the bedside table.But then, Winston grabbed her arm. His palms were sweaty, and when he held her hand, it felt so hot it was as if he might burn her.Millie looked down at him.Winston looked up at her face, worried that if he let go, she might disappear.However, he knew very well that Millie wanted to leave, and he couldn't stop her."Millie, do you really have to give up on me?" Winston asked again, seeming determined to get an answer.Millie furrowed her brows, breathing heavily."Do you have to?" He looked at her. "Hmm?"Millie felt her heart tighten, and she just couldn't bring herself to say, "I have to let you go.""Winston," she called to him.Winston had no more strength left in him, as if he couldn't wait any longer to hear those words from her.He suddenly bent over and fell to the ground.Millie paused for a moment, then she quickly crouched down. "Winston?"She immed
Millie tightened her grip on the doorknob and turned to look at Winston.He stood next to the coffee table, his hands dangling awkwardly at his sides. The expression on his face seemed profoundly sorrowful. Although they were close, it felt as if a huge ocean stood between them when he looked at her, making it impossible for him to bridge the gap.Winston made a slight groaning sound, licking his lips and breathing heavily. His body was also swaying a bit. His stomach felt extremely uncomfortable, churning violently as if he might throw up at any moment.What bothered him even more was the comment Millie had just made.She said, "Let's end this."End it? But how would they just end it? Then were her seven years over just like that? Did his guilt and regret count for anything?She could move on from him, love someone else, and marry them. But what about him? He could never forgive himself for the rest of his life…Could they just end it?"Millie. Tell me, how are we supposed to
"Listen." Millie bit her lip but finally mustered up the courage to speak. "Let's end this between us."During those years with him, she caused her family a lot of worry and concern. She no longer wanted her family to worry about her.Or perhaps, she had become scared. She didn't want to gamble with her feelings anymore."Winston, I admit defeat. I don't have the courage to go through this with you again." Millie's voice was choked with emotion as she struggled to hold back her sadness while saying this.Winston instinctively reached for her hand."Millie, you promised me. You said you'd give me a chance. Why?" His eyes suddenly turned bloodshot, and his voice was so hoarse it seemed like he could barely speak."There's no reason. The new year has begun, and I hope you get better. Don't come looking for me anymore." Millie pulled away from Winston's hand, turned around, and got ready to leave.He suddenly hugged Millie tightly and said, "Don't…"Winston's voice seemed to pierce
Millie opened the car door and pushed Winston inside the car.Winston fastened his seatbelt in the dark by himself.Millie got into the car and saw him sitting there quietly, which made her smile and sigh.Millie drove at a moderate speed. The road was busy, with many people out to watch fireworks, while others were heading home.Winston looked to the driver's side, his gaze fixed on Millie.Millie could sense that he was watching her, but she kept avoiding eye contact. Her mind was preoccupied with the messages her dad had sent.Let him go… The question was, could she give up on him?Millie furrowed her brow and rested her hand on her forehead, deep in thought."Did I make you hate me…?" Winston's raspy voice suddenly sounded next to her ear.Millie looked over at him with confusion."Does my drinking make you hate me?" he asked again, just like a child afraid of upsetting Millie."No." Millie shook her head.Despite having drunk too much, he still made an effort to pay at
After the video call ended, Millie placed her phone on the table.Thomas said to Millie, "Hahaha! Mills, look, he can't handle his drink!"Having been the son-in-law of the Caldwell family for three years, I only just found out that he can't hold his liquor."Millie gave a wry smile. This statement seemed to be a double-edged sword. For three years, he hadn't visited the Caldwell family even once. Winston was truly ruthless at that time.Winston quickly explained to Millie, "Millie, I haven't had too much. I can still drink, honestly."His face was completely flushed, and it was clear that his speech was slurred.The two of them had already finished a bottle of vodka.Thomas was even ready to switch to a different type of alcohol.Thomas had spent many years away from home and was quite a heavy drinker. His drinking ability was different from that of Winston.Winston could ask Eli to drink on his behalf if he didn't want to, but if Thomas was trying to win resources for Rach
At the dining table, Thomas and Winston started drinking vodka.The TV was showing this year's New Year Gala while Millie was quietly eating pierogi.She hadn't had homemade pierogi for three years, and they tasted so good. It felt like being back in her childhood, celebrating the New Year with her family. That was what made the festival truly special.Millie looked at her grandparents with a constant smile on her face. She felt happier than she had ever been before.She wished her parents were here too. Oh, those two…Just as she was thinking about this, her phone rang. It was Terrence calling.Millie answered the call without saying a word and pointed the camera toward Thomas.This year, Thomas had no one to drink with, so he turned to Winston for company.Terrence was lounging in the sun when he caught sight of Winston. His eyes widened in surprise, and he immediately set down his juice."Who is that? Am I seeing this right?" Terrence sat up straight, his voice filled with