Gale smiled and patted his head. "Joshua, your dad has successfully passed my test. I am sure he is someone worth spending a lifetime with. I chose him, and I believe in my judgment.""Are you really not considering Uncle Aurum?""He and I have fate but not destiny."She had never liked Aurum. Initially, she considered him a benefactor, then a friend, and now, she saw him as family. Aurum would be an important person in her life, but not as a lover."Oh, what a pity. Destiny…" Joshua shook his head repeatedly."Yes, Aurum and I go back more than twenty years.""Big Beauty... oh no, Mommy, I meant the destiny between you and Shawn."Gale sighed. Joshua lay on the hospital bed, looking like he was fully recovered."Joshua, did you have nightmares? Did you dream of Natalie holding a knife at you?" Gale asked tentatively."No, who do you think I am? How could that scare me!""That's good. You are as strong as your dad's, frighteningly strong...""But the dreams I have now are al
Four years ago, Pearton was assigned to be Gale's bodyguard, a job none of the bodyguards wanted to do. It was a thankless task, prone to trouble, and everyone avoided it. However, Pearton took on the role and served her wholeheartedly. Gale, in turn, used all her power to send him away before she jumped into the sea, hoping he would not face punishment because of her.Four years later, Pearton reappeared and saved her son. If Gale had not protected Pearton when she faked her death and left him behind...Yesterday, Pearton might not have stepped forward to save her son."He'll get better. When I get better, I want to be his apprentice and learn how to fight from him! That way, I can better protect you!" Joshua said.Gale sighed. "Joshua, I hope when you're protecting me, you prioritize your own safety first. Don't sacrifice yourself to protect me, do you understand? If something happens to you, your Daddy, Nicole, and I will be devastated. Have you thought about that?""Before sav
"He can only have liquids.""I brought porridge."Shawn had already thought ahead, so he specifically instructed the kitchen to make the best porridge with premium, hand-picked oats.Gale was a bit surprised. "So considerate of you.""Because in the past four years, I wasn't there when you needed me the most. So, I plan to make amends from now on. Not just for four years, but for forty years until I'm no longer here," Shawn replied. Gale glanced at Joshua and then tugged at Shawn's sleeve, speaking softly, "Did his words affect you?""Gale, he was right. I should reflect upon it instead of avoiding it."She did not know what else to say and lowered her head to eat.Shawn carried the porridge and walked to the bedside. Although they had seen each other countless times before, this time, they truly met as father and son. Both of them felt a strange emotion in their hearts, and no one spoke first.Moreover, neither of them initiated the conversation.Gale occasionally looked in
Gale could not help but sit back down and watch the two. What exactly were they going to do?"Eat. Open your mouth," Shawn said."I can eat by myself." Shawn glanced at the IV drip connected to the back of his hand. "Are you sure you can eat by yourself?" "I'll wait for Big Beauty... uh, wait for Mommy to finish eating, then she can feed me," Joshua said.Shawn raised an eyebrow slightly. "Mommy?""Yeah. She's my mommy. What's the problem with that?""You used to call her Big Beauty, right?""I... I..."Gale frantically signaled to Joshua!Joshua, being clever, immediately said, "I can call her whatever I want. If I feel like calling her Big Beauty or Mommy, I will!"Shawn responded lightly, "This is the first time I've heard you call her that.""That means you haven't seen us enough. I definitely call her Mommy more than Big Beauty. The times I call her Big Beauty are fewer."Joshua had inherited Shawn's natural talent for lying. Shawn gave a faint snort. "You used
Shawn slowly stirred the porridge in his hand, glancing at Joshua. Joshua obediently opened his mouth. Shawn was irritated. If Joshua annoyed him further, Shawn might not do anything to him, but his poor mommy would bear the brunt of his anger. Ah, being a son was truly challenging.Shawn fed Joshua, and Joshua ate each spoonful earnestly. The hospital room fell into an eerie silence. Before long, Joshua had consumed most of the porridge.Gale saw it and thought it would take them forever to get used to each other. Maybe she, as the mother, needed to step in to foster their bond.She walked to the bedside and sat down. "You couldn't be with your dad before, and it's my fault. You've met Daddy many times but couldn't call him your dad."Unexpectedly, Joshua shook his head. "No, it's not your fault; it's... Daddy's."Shawn paused. Joshua explained logically, "He didn't provide you with enough security or manage to earn your complete trust. He was absent during Nicole and I's
Gale pondered over Shawn's usual attitude toward Joshua and suddenly felt a chill. They never quite got along. Could their relationship improve just because they were related? Considering Joshua's mischievous nature, she sometimes could not resist disciplining him, let alone Shawn.Joshua's eyes darted around. "When I was living with the Lefting family, I overheard the servants gossiping. They said the Wood family is the wealthiest family in the entire Sea City. The combined wealth of the Lefting and Yarn families doesn't even compare to half of the Wood family's fortune. Daddy, is that true?""It's true." He was really wealthy; there was no need to hide it. Besides, he saw no reason to hide the family's wealth from his children. Every parent wants to provide the best for their children."Then, as your son, can I inherit your position and wealth in the future?" asked Joshua."Yes," replied Shawn.Joshua's eyes lit up. "How many billion is it worth? Daddy, I think you're a bit
He would not get anything?Gale nodded. "I was there when they signed the contract." The light in Joshua's eyes dimmed. "Bias! You're biased! You favor girls over boys! Why am I reduced to being Nicole's little employee!" Joshua kept yelling.Others were biased toward boys over girls. In his family, it was the complete opposite! Joshua was very dissatisfied. He wanted to protest. It wasn't about the shares or the money; he was dissatisfied with Shawn's actions! Why was everything given to Nicole? She would boast about it in front of him in the future!"Our shares are yours and Nicole's. We're all family. Why so calculative?" Shawn asked. "Would Nicole exploit you?" "She would!" Despite Nicole's innocent appearance, there was a little devil inside her. Joshua knew his sister too well. He would be exploited for a lifetime."Then be good to her. Maybe if she's in a good mood, she'll give you some shares," Shawn suggested. Joshua was speechless."Alright, Shawn, stop teasi
Joshua became more and more agitated as he spoke. "Mommy, didn't you notice? I was confused at the time. Although I and Shawn weren't on the same page, I had a good relationship with Nicole. I wouldn't even harm Nicole, so why was he always on guard against me?"Gale coughed. "Well..." How should she explain that? Even Shawn cleared his throat awkwardly. At that time, he did not know Nicole and Joshua were siblings. He thought Joshua was a smooth-talking playboy trying to win Nicole's heart. As a protective father, he had to ensure his precious daughter's safety. He could not let Joshua deceive Nicole at such a young age! So, Shawn disapproved of Joshua.Unexpectedly, they were siblings. They had grown up together, as familiar as can be. It turned out Shawn, in his busybody nature, had worried for nothing. In his defense, he had no idea Joshua was Nicole's real brother."Shawn, tell me. Even if you didn't know I was your son, Nicole and I were classmates. Why shouldn't I be al