Before this, whenever anyone mentioned Summer, Joe would just shake his head repeatedly, saying that she would never get married and even claiming he would never like a woman like her. He looked at her disdainfully.Yet, he found her appealing.How contradictory.Cough, cough, cough… Joe's eyes darted around. "Well, it's destiny, I guess...""There's no need to be shy. It's not something to be embarrassed about, just pursue her boldly," said Shawn.Joe was speechless.Shawn's words sounded strangely familiar. It was pretty much what Joe once told Shawn in the past. Back then, Joe encouraged Shawn to come to terms with his own feelings and pursue Gale.Now, the tables have turned. Shawn was encouraging Joe to pursue Summer!"Go for it. If you succeed, remember to invite me to your wedding. If not, just take it in stride." Shawn got up and patted Joe's shoulder. "Pfft! Can you believe this guy? You should be the one taking it in stride!"Failure was not an option for him. Wh
"Exactly. This is our house. This is the lawn. The sun is high up. There are birds flying. There are flowers. This tall one is Daddy, this is you, Mommy. This one is me," Nicole explained.Gale pointed at the blank space next to Nicole in the painting. "So why is there an empty spot here? Haven't you finished the painting?""No, Mommy. This is for my brother."Gale was momentarily puzzled.Nicole raised her painting high and said, "Let's stop here for today, and when I can paint my big brother, we can frame it up. Mommy, is that okay?""Nicole, you can paint your big brother now," she replied.Nicole hesitated for several seconds. "Really? Can I?""You can. Your big brother is also a part of our family. We are a family of four, and he shouldn't be excluded."With Gale's approval, Nicole immediately picked up her paintbrush.Watching her daughter's happy and serious strokes as she painted Joshua, Gale smiled softly. She had no more interest in working on the design draft; she j
He said it gently to avoid upsetting Nicole.Nicole responded, "Daddy, Joshua is supposed to be here. I asked Mommy, and Mommy agreed to have him painted here."Did Gale also agree? Shawn's gaze turned to Gale."Yes. Shawn, I want to talk..." Gale replied."Both of you are being too fond of Joshua. But I believe this is a matter of principle. A family of three should remain a family of three, with no additional outsiders."Gale was continually interrupted by him.She could not finish her sentence! She had assumed that Shawn had figured something out from the painting by now, given how obvious it was. A family of four, with Mom and Dad and two children! However, it turned out that Shawn simply thought that she and Nicole really liked Joshua, which was why they included him in the painting. Who would add a stranger to a family portrait for no reason, even if they really liked him? What happened to Shawn's intelligence and sharp wit? Where had they gone?Gale rested her forehead an
Shawn pulled a chair and sat down. "Nicole, has Mommy been with you all evening?""Yeah, she's been working on her sketches, and I've been drawing my pictures.""Do you find Mommy behaving a bit strangely?"Nicole shook her head. "No, Daddy. You're the one who's strange."Shawn was taken aback. "I'm strange?"Nicole pointed to the figures in the painting. "Daddy, look. This is Joshua, my big brother. He has to stand here. We can't paint him to be somewhere else."Seeing Shawn's furrowed brow, Nicole shook her head and sighed repeatedly.'Well, it's fine. Daddy suddenly became so foolish. There's no way I can get through to him.'No wonder Mommy had already given up and left."Tomorrow, I'll have the housekeeper frame this painting and put it by my bedside. That way, I can see it every day!" Nicole carefully put the painting away. Shawn could not comprehend.All he could think about now was having another child!He asked, "Nicole, would you mind if Mommy and Daddy plan to h
He said quietly, "Don't answer."However, she shook her head."Just relax and wait for the surgery. The doctor is the best cardiac specialist in Sea City, and this surgery is a piece of cake to him. There won't be any risks. Don't frighten yourself," Gale said."Any surgery carries risks. It's never completely safe.""It's just placing a stent."Matthew sighed. "I'm already old... When I was young, I drank and stayed up late to socialize. My body has long deteriorated. With my poor health, I'm afraid this might be it for me.""You're overthinking it. I asked the doctor, and the success rate would be very high. It's not considered a major surgery," Gale replied.Nevertheless, the treatment costs were very high. However, money was no issue for her, so it was inconsequential.On the other end, Heather's voice came through. "But, a family member needs to come to sign the surgery consent form and have a pre-surgery discussion... If Gale doesn't come, how can the doctor proceed with
Matthew was in the wrong. However, she had to live with a clear conscience. Letting Matthew live was the greatest act of kindness she could carry out!"I understand, no need to explain. Do you want me to accompany you to the hospital?" Shawn tightened his grip on her arm.She shook her head. "I can go alone.""You're always like this..."Shawn tapped her forehead with his index finger.Gale looked up at him. "How so. It's just because I'm afraid it might inconvenience you.""Are your personal matters an inconvenience? It's more important than work.""But I really feel like I can handle it on my own."Shawn cupped her face. "Galey, you are more vulnerable. You don't need to be so strong and independent."If she was softer, he could protect her more.Gale gazed into his deep eyes. "It's a habit. It's hard to change how I am. During the four years I was away from you, I had to take care of everything myself. No one helped me." She went from being a first-time mother to becomin
He wanted to live in his delusion, hoping his illusion of their love could last a day longer. Perhaps, after some time, Gale's answer would be the one he wanted, and then he would ask her again!At this moment, Shawn found himself in a state of confusion. He did not know if Gale loved him or Aurum. It was like she never really let him go, but at the same time, she had completely moved on from him.Gale smiled and said, "Shawn, are you lacking confidence in yourself now?""Before, I was very confident, even bordering on arrogance. But now..."Falling in love with someone makes you cautious. Why? Because you are afraid of losing them.Gale said, "Actually, I've already thought of how to answer you. My answer is already in my heart. Are you sure you don't want to hear it now?"Shawn looked at her for a few seconds and then averted his gaze, saying, "Mmm."He would not listen. He could not listen. He rarely was so flustered and uncertain. He quickly softens his tone. "Gale, I'm go
Shawn's hand immediately relaxed. Gale promptly wriggled free, kicked off her shoes, and darted into the bed. She lay down and said, "Let's sleep, good night."Shawn adjusted his tie, gazing at her helplessly. It was destined to be a sleepless night for him.He lay down but had not given up on Gale just yet.He leaned closer, his breath heavy. "Gale, am I being presumptuous? Is our future going to be long?"She just would not answer. "Guess.""I dare not guess, afraid of guessing wrong.""Be bolder."Shawn pushed aside her hair, resting his chin on her shoulder. "I will be very cautious about everything related to you."Actually, Gale had made her intentions clear. She started sleeping in the master bedroom, no longer trying to sleep in separate rooms. She also no longer rejected his embraces, hand-holding, kissing, and even sleeping with him. She was also growing distant from Aurum, not mingling with him as closely and frequently as before, which could lead to misunderstanding