Gale shut her eyes with tears already streaming down her cheeks. Natalie leaned against the wall and said, "Joshua, come here.""On my way," Joshua replied obediently, doing whatever she asked.Natalie's back pressed firmly against the corner as she scanned her surroundings. Slowly, she freed one hand. When she saw Joshua making no move to resist, she swiftly grabbed his shoulder and forcefully pushed Gale forward!She caught Joshua.The knife was now aimed at Joshua's neck. Gale stumbled forward before finally falling to the ground. She did not even think about getting up and immediately looked at Joshua. "Joshua!"Her heart felt like it was breaking. How did things end up like this?!Joshua's small frame made it easier for Natalie to control him. She squatted, sitting cross-legged in the corner. The thin fruit knife looked twice the length of Joshua's neck! It was a terrifying sight!Joshua tried to comfort her. "It's okay, it's okay. Big beauty, she won't hurt me. Don't c
"Haha. What do I want? You better listen carefully." Natalie found Gale's distress amusing."Just spill it. I will agree..." Gale did not have any rights to demand. She only wanted Joshua to be safe!"I want you to suffer. I want you to live in sorrow every day, just like you are now. I want you to watch your child die before you. I want you to feel that life's not worth living." Natalie's excitement grew as she spoke.Natalie's laughter echoed in the ward, chilling everyone. Gale shivered. "This is what you wanted from the moment you faked your apology to us. You've been plotting to make me suffer, to make me feel miserable, to make me wish for death!""Yes! The spell on Nicole was a way to make you suffer for a lifetime! Unfortunately, you found the antidote. I miscalculated. But now, you handed your son to me!"Natalie had no idea that Joshua was Gale's son. It was quite a coincidence that Joshua had come here today and revealed his identity!It seemed like fate was assisting
If it were not for him, the one facing the risk of death right now would be Gale. He successfully protected his loved one. He felt heroic."I... I don't like dying. Hey, why do you want to die? Isn't it good to be alive? I always hear this phrase, better to live than die, eight?" Joshua said."We will die together. I won't be alone in hell. It's a good deal," Natalie stated, tightening her grip on the knife.Joshua looked up at her. His movement caused the knife to graze his skin. It was terrifying to watch for Gale. "Joshua!" Natalie tightened her grip on the knife. "Why did you move?""I want to look into your eyes when I am talking to you. Let's continue our discussion on death. Think about it, evil lady, both of our lives are precious," Joshua replied."I have a wretched life. If I die, it doesn't matter. But you're different, Joshua. Do you know your identity?""Yes, Shawn's son." Joshua nodded.Natalie sneered, "You're the Wood family's future, the Wood Group heir. You'r
Gale slowly lifted her head and gazed toward the door. It had to be Shawn!She could recognize the pace of his footsteps. Sure enough, a few seconds later, the door to the hospital room opened. Shawn entered, clad in black trousers that accentuated his muscular legs, gleaming leather shoes, and an imposing aura. He scanned the situation in the room with his piercing gaze, his lips pressed together firmly. He was somewhat surprised. The person he had been worried about, Gale, was on the floor, crying her heart out. Was she not supposed to be the one held captive by Natalie? Then why, upon entering, did he see Joshua as the hostage?Shawn did not ask any questions. Instead, he walked over to Gale, knelt beside her, and helped her to her feet. He embraced her and let her rest against his chest. Gale sobbed even harder when she saw him, quickly soaking his shirt. "Shawn... you're here. I waited for you...""Yeah, I'm here, Gale. Don't be afraid."He smoothed her long hair and k
Why would Natalie want Joshua over Gale? Why was he worth the risk? Seeing Shawn's furrowed brow, Gale tugged at his sleeve again. "Joshua can't be hurt, not even a scratch... If anything happens to him, I won't be able to go on.""I'll do my best, Gale.""No, not your best, it's a must, we must save him. Joshua's life is more important than mine!" Gale emphasized."Alright," Shawn promised. As he looked at Joshua, his gaze carried a tinge of admiration and respect. He had not been too fond of Joshua before, finding him slimy and always clinging to Nicole, taking up most of her attention. When she was with him, she pushed him aside. He was jealous of Gale and Nicole's fondness of him, which led him not to be particularly accepting of Joshua. Deep down, Shawn saw a lot of potential in Joshua. He could tell from how Joshua handled Natalie's poisoning, he was brave and resourceful, a future achiever!"Joshua, you're braver and more capable than I imagined," Shawn said.That was hea
'Joshua is Gale's son?'His mind went blank for a moment, and it took a while for him to come back to his senses. "Yes, Shawn, Joshua Warm is your son. Didn't you know? That just meant Gale had been hiding him from you as well. Otherwise, why would I go to such lengths to target this parentless kid? What would I gain from taking his life?" Natalie laughed.Shawn pursed his lips, looking toward Gale. "He is my son?"Gale nodded, admitting, "Yes, Joshua is your son. That is why Natalie agreed to the hostage exchange. This naive kid did it to save me… "Shawn frowned. After a few seconds, he lowered his head, whispering in Gale's ear, "I understand now, Gale. Don't worry, leave it to me."Gale looked into his eyes. "You understand?" Shawn's reaction seemed different from what she had imagined. 'Why was he so calm? It's different from what I imagine…'"Yeah, this was Joshua's idea, right? He's small but clever," Shawn replied in a low voice. "Idea?" Gale blinked, looking at h
Gale looked into his eyes, emphasizing, "Shawn, Nicole and Joshua are equally important." He just firmly held her hand with determination and gentleness.When Shawn looked back at Natalie, his expression changed to a murderous glint. "I knew early on that you weren't genuinely sorry.""Natalie, you have a way out, but if you truly harm my son, Joshua..."He did not utter a single threat, but the implication in his tone was enough to send shivers down one's spine. "I don't want a way out. Your son won't have one either! I'll die with him, we'll go down together! Then, my death will be worthwhile!"Shawn's gaze darkened. "If you dare kill Joshua, I will kill your entire family.""Family? Oh, you mean my stepmother? I have no feelings for her; do whatever you want with her... But if she dies, Dad will be very sad." Natalie scoffed.Natalie looked at Gale. "Tell me, Gale, how would you feel if Heather and Dad died together?"Gale wanted to rush forward, her eyes bloodshot, "You're
Natalie skillfully avoided his major arteries; after all, she did not want Joshua to die so quickly. She wanted to savor Gale's pain."Joshua!" Gale used all her strength to lunge forward as she watched the blood flow incessantly. It was hopeless. Shawn pulled her back, embracing her.He glanced at Joshua's neck wound. It was approximately seven to eight centimeters long. Fortunately, it was not too deep. Natalie probably intended to teach them a lesson without going too far. However, for a child, it was already cruel enough.Shawn covered Gale's eyes. "Don't look, Gale… The wound isn't deep, it won't endanger his life.""But Joshua must be in so much pain..." She wished the cut was on herself. Even ten cuts would be fine!Joshua took a sharp breath, pain spreading from his neck. However, he remained silent and shed a tear. He was unusually calm for a kindergarten boy."It's okay, I'm not hurting. Big beauty, it's just a small injury, I won't die," Joshua reassured her.Howeve
Summer didn't know, but the more she said that, the more unsettled Gale felt inside. Everyone was telling her that Shawn wasn't that busy, didn't need to work overtime, let alone stay in the office until late at night. So, what was he doing that night? Did he have some secret that she couldn't know?Just as she was pondering this, several exclamations suddenly rang out in the office. "Wow! Look at this!" "Oh my god!" "This is so explosive!" "The hype is skyrocketing!"Several colleagues were glued to their computer screens, their faces full of gossip and excitement. Gale was puzzled and asked, "What's going on? What happened?"Summer immediately picked up her phone. "Let me see... Oh my god!"Gale grew even more curious. What on earth had happened? She hurried over and stared at Summer's phone screen.News stories flashed one after another, relentlessly. Gale quickly caught the most crucial information: "Ivy announced her withdrawal from her latest film, leaving the female
She wondered what Shawn was doing that night, that he came home only at dawn. Where did he go? Was he lying?Just a moment ago, Gale merely felt something was off, but now, she was overwhelmed with a strong sense of panic. Joshua's words about how women flocked to Shawn and how men would not be suddenly busy, suddenly flooded her mind.Even though Gale tried hard to tell herself not to overthink things, that it was impossible, and that Shawn deserved her full trust, she was having a hard time controlling herself!“Gale?" Summer called her several times. “What are you thinking about? You seem so distracted.”“Nothing,” she shook her head. “It’s nothing. I’m getting ready to work on the design. I really can’t delay any further.”She wasn’t in the mood to joke around with Joe and Summer anymore, so she turned and sat down in front of her computer. Her mind was completely blank. What on earth was Shawn doing that night when he came home so late? Clearly, there wasn’t any urgent matter
Summer chuckled, "Look at you, anyone who doesn't know might think I bully you just because my position is higher than yours. Gale, come on, show some authority. I heard from Joe that Shawn has all the shares...""Shh!" Gale quickly covered her mouth. This was a sensitive matter; it wouldn't do to discuss it casually. If someone with ill intentions overheard, it could lead to unnecessary trouble."Okay, okay, I won't say anything," Summer understood her meaning. "Let's talk about work then? Oh great designer, where's your design draft? It was due last week! You've been delaying for quite some time!"Gale looked embarrassed. "I... I haven't finished it yet...""Show me the draft.""I haven't even started the preliminary draft...""What?!" Summer looked shocked. "Gale, how did you become so lax?""There's so much going on, taking care of two children, and Shawn..." Gale's voice trailed off.At this moment, Joe suddenly appeared from nowhere. "Is Shawn clinging to you, or are you
“Sorry, Gale, I'll be more careful next time.” He hugged her, lightly brushing her forehead with his chin.Gale wondered if she was overthinking things. It was just normal work busyness that made Shawn come home a bit late, and she hadn't really minded or dwelled on it. But, it seemed this issue kept resurfacing in her mind.Just as she was thinking, she suddenly felt lighter."Ah..." Gale exclaimed, "Shawn!"He scooped her up horizontally and headed upstairs in large strides. It was another night of intense entanglement. Gale was tired and sleepy. Her eyes were barely open, but just before drifting off to sleep, she managed to say, "I have to go to work tomorrow, on time... no more skipping.""Okay."With Shawn's response, she immediately fell into a deep sleep.She left everything else to him… She was going to fall apart! She didn't know what was going on with Shawn, these past two nights have been endless. Before, he might ask for too much, but he would care about her physica
The trip back home was serene and filled with warmth for Gale. Shawn in contrast, felt tumultuous. By the time they arrived home, the two little ones were already fast asleep in the back seat, slumped over in different directions."Just a moment ago they were chattering non-stop, now they're all curled up asleep," Gale chuckled. "No matter how clever they are, they're still just kids."They were her little darlings. She opened the back door and gently lifted Nicole out. For some reason, when she lifted Nicole, she felt a bit unsteady and swayed."Careful," Shawn noticed and reached out, pulling her and their daughter into his embrace.Gale leaned securely against him. "With you here, how could I fall?""No worries, maybe Nicole's just gotten heavier as she's grown. I'm having trouble carrying her now," Gale said."Let me."She tilted her chin. "You take Joshua. I can manage for this short walk, really.""I can handle both," Shawn replied."Yeah, yeah, I know you're strong."S
"Alright, alright," Joshua shrugged and said, "Old man, you do your thing. Actually, I hope you could be a bit busier.""You want me to be busier?""Yeah, just a bit busier than now. Not too much, just a moderate increase," Joshua gestured, "You're always so leisurely, it makes me uneasy, Shawn!"Shawn asked, "What makes you uneasy?""Your business. I'll have to inherit it in the future! If you continue being so idle and not managing the company well, when I take over, I'll be swamped! Shawn, can't you think about your son?"So that was Joshua's concern. He feared Shawn wouldn’t manage the company well and it would burden him in the future.Gale sighed repeatedly, "How did I end up with such... "She couldn't find the right words.Smart?Mischievous?Shawn replied calmly, "Joshua, do you now realize you're my son? I should consider you? Then let me ask you, what do you want to call me?""Daddy."Joshua smoothly said.Both Shawn and Gale were somewhat surprised.He actuall
"Joshua!" Gale turned around to look at him. "What's been going on in that little head of yours day after day?"Joshua replied seriously, "I'm thinking about you, Mommy. Shawn leaves work on time every day, never stays late. Suddenly he's busy until midnight. Don't you think that's a bit strange?"As he said this, Gale felt something wasn't quite right. But she trusted Shawn enough. The company was big, with lots of business, so the occasional unexpected situation was normal. Even if she pushed the thought further, what would Shawn do? Would he be seeing other women? Gale wasn't concerned at all because Shawn wouldn't give any woman a chance! He loved only her and she was confident that she held the only place in his heart."Alright, I think you've been watching too many dramas lately," Gale said. "Joshua, from now on, you need to cut down on your TV drama time!""No! I refuse!""Joshua, your protest is futile!"Joshua was getting frustrated; he really wanted to watch TV.After
Joshua reluctantly said goodbye to Ivy, "Bye-bye, Ivy. I'll come over again when I have time. You can come to my house too! Love you! Mwah mwah!"He kept blowing kisses."Shawn," Gale looked at him, "Does your son know no shame?""I'm starting to suspect he might have a genetic mutation."Both Shawn and Gale were quite reserved by nature, especially in expressing their feelings. They loved subtly and rarely voiced it openly. But Joshua was different. He worked his charm on everyone from the old Lucas down to babies. He could make anyone happy if he wanted to!The car moved along the road.Gale asked, "What do you think about Ivy's condition today?""What do I think?""Yes.""I didn’t observe closely," Shawn replied. "Why?"Gale couldn't help but laugh, "I allow you to look and give your opinion. It's fine. You don’t have to create your distance so strictly.""She's better than last time," Shawn said. "Beyond that, I don’t know."Even if he knew, he couldn't say.Gale reac
Ivy stared at Gale, her eyes bright and clear.“Gale, if I hold the truth in my hands, would you want me to reveal it?”Gale nodded firmly. “Yes!”“Do you want to know the whole truth?”“I do!”Ivy blinked, then suddenly smiled. “Okay, okay, Gale, I know what to do now.”“Can you tell me now?”“Not yet.”“Why?” Gale asked. “Have you been threatened?”She grew tense all of a sudden.Ivy shook her head. “No. It’s just too complicated to explain in a few words. But with your support, I suddenly feel stronger and know what I need to do!”Even if President Wood tried to stop her, she would expose it. She would vent her anger, punish Paul, tear off Aurum’s hypocritical mask, let Gale know Aurum's ugliness... Ivy decided to act on her own. She resolved silently.Smells of food wafted from the kitchen.“Dinner’s ready,” Ivy smiled. “Joshua, Nicole, did you wash your hands?”They replied, “We’re going now!”“I’ll take you.”“No,” Gale stopped her. “They’re big enough to wash the