"Alright." Intimidated by Kevan's domineering aura, Lana's intense emotions calmed down somewhat. "Don't hang up so that we can hear what's happening on your end," Kevan continued. They heard a loud noise coming from the other end of the call as soon as he finished speaking. Immediately after, Lana screamed in terror, "They're inside the restroom!"In a panic, Larissa forgot Kevan's earlier instructions. She grabbed his sleeve and hurriedly pulled him towards the restroom, exclaiming, "Let's go and save her now!"The very next second, Kevan pulled her back.Returning the phone to Larissa, he clamped his hands on her shoulders and bent down to meet her gaze. "Listen to me. Go outside and stay in the car. I won't let anything happen to Lana." Kevan spoke with such certainty that Larissa couldn't help but trust him. His steady gaze gradually calmed her pounding heart as she stared into his eyes."Okay." She nodded.Kevan and Dylan returned to the restroom.The door to the re
"Let go of me! Don't you dare touch me!" Lana cried out in despair, her hoarse voice cracking.Her makeup was long ruined by the tears that streaked across her face.Her pink hoodie was torn in the struggle, exposing her bare shoulders.The bald man heard the commotion and turned around.Seeing his underlings lying in a heap on the ground, he was both surprised and furious. "Who the fuck are you?" He released Lana and grabbed a mop that was leaning against the wall, swinging it forcefully toward Kevan. "Damn it, how dare you ruin my mood!" Kevan stopped his attack without hesitation by grabbing the mop handle with his bare hands. The bald man was caught off guard. Seizing the opportunity, he gave the mop a strong tug, causing the bald man to lose his footing and fall forward. Just as the bald man was about to crash into him, Kevan sidestepped out of the way and kicked him behind the knees. With a thud, the bald man collapsed onto the ground.While the fight was going on, L
Larissa swiftly turned on her toes and hurried to Lana's side. Supporting her arm, she gently draped her hoodie over Lana's shoulders. "Are you okay? Did you get hurt?"Lana shook her head, but her gaze was fixed on Kevan."Mr. Rogers," she called out timidly, "are you okay?""Yeah," Kevan responded indifferently, without even glancing at her.Lana's eyes welled with tears as she bit her lower lip."What happened here?" a police officer spoke up sternly. Lana spoke up first, pointing at the bald man lying motionless on the floor. "This man tried to violate me. Luckily, Mr. Rogers arrived in time … Otherwise, I would have been … "She hung her head and sobbed, overwhelmed with sadness. Given that everything at the scene aligned perfectly with Lana's description, the police did not feel the need to ask further questions. They proceeded to apprehend all the thugs and brought them back to the police station for interrogation. The only female police officer on the team even came o
Lana blushed shyly. "Sorry to trouble both of you." Dylan suppressed a laugh. "No trouble at all. It's the least we can do."Rolling her eyes, Larissa gave Dylan a disapproving glance but ultimately didn't expose him. The four of them entered the elevator, and Dylan pressed the buttons for floors 18, 19, and 20 in order."What?" Lana turned to look at him, her big eyes filled with confusion. "Why did you press the buttons for three floors?" Dylan pursed his lips, pretending to be mysterious. "You'll see later."The elevator quickly arrived on the 18th floor. After the doors opened, Dylan stepped out and waved to Lana. "Goodbye, Ms. Seymour.""Huh?" Lana's eyes widened, but before she could get an answer from Dylan, the elevator doors closed again. Lana turned to look at Larissa."Mr. Shields lives on the 18th floor," Larissa explained, "I live on the 19th floor, and Mr. Rogers is on the 20th.""You all live in the same building?" Lana was surprised. "That's weird!" She l
Larissa closed her eyes and suppressed her rising frustration. She pointed towards the bathroom. "There's a socket on the wall next to the sink. Go there and dry your hair before coming out.""Okay." Lana unplugged the hairdryer and entered the bathroom obediently. Larissa got off the bed and wiped up the puddle of water with tissue paper. By the time Lana had finished blow-drying her hair, Larissa was already fast asleep.Lana climbed into bed with Larissa and burrowed under her blanket. Grabbing her arm, she shook it vigorously, calling her sister's name, "Larissa!" Lana persisted until she finally woke Larissa up.Unable to put up with her antics any longer, Larissa snapped impatiently, "What's the matter?"Lana was startled by her sharp tone and bit on her lower lip, tears welling up in her eyes. "I … I can't sleep. I wish to talk to you for a while. However, if you're tired, it's okay. You can go back to sleep. Don't mind me." Lana wiped away her tears with the back of
At 7 am, Larissa was roughly awakened by Lana. They had only slept for less than two hours. As they walked to the supermarket, Larissa couldn't stop yawning. She had to put in much effort to keep her drooping eyelids open; otherwise, she would just fall asleep at any second. On the other hand, Lana was full of energy. She seemed to have forgotten everything that had happened yesterday. "Hurry up, Larissa! If we are late, we won't be able to buy fresh ingredients!" Dragging her sister, Lana walked at a brisk pace. The supermarket was different from the farmers' market. It officially opened at 8.30 am. When they arrived, the store clerks were still moving boxes of freshly delivered vegetables into the supermarket. Some shelves were still empty, and no one was at the weighing station or the checkout counter. Standing at the entrance of the supermarket, Lana complained, "Larissa, why didn't you tell me that they open at 8.30 am? If I had known, I would have put on some makeup be
Larissa got out of the taxi and walked briskly towards Lana.Staring at Larissa's backpack, Lana stretched out her palm. "Where is the visitor's pass?" "I don't have a visitor's pass," Larissa said.Lana's expression immediately darkened, and she demanded harshly, "Then why did you come here without a visitor's pass? Are you here to see me make a fool of myself?" Her brazen attitude annoyed Larissa. She had planned to ask the security guard she met last time to let Lana in, but she had now changed her mind. "I made plans to meet a friend nearby, so I came here to let you know that I don't have a visitor's pass. I'll be on my way now. You can try calling Mr. Rogers again. Maybe his meeting is already over."Suddenly, the automatic doors opened. "Ms. Seymour!" The security guard she was acquainted with appeared and greeted her warmly, "Why have you come?" Larissa quickly put on a smile. "I just happened to pass by.""Oh?" The security guard was taken aback for a moment and
Larissa asked Lana, "How many servings did you pack?"Since Larissa had prepared all the dishes, Lana insisted on personally packing the food as a way to express her sincerity.Larissa decided to let Lana do it since packing food required no skill at all. She didn't pay close attention to how much Lana had packed into the lunchbox. Avoiding Larissa's gaze, Lana lowered her head and said in a trembling voice, "I only brought enough for Mr. Rogers. What's wrong?" "Nothing." Larissa had no right to criticize Lana for not being considerate. She herself hadn't thought of reminding Lana to bring an extra portion for Dylan before he questioned her."You go upstairs first. Mr. Rogers' office is on the 69th floor. When you get there, ask someone for the exact location. I'll go out and buy something for Mr. Shields. After all, he also helped a lot yesterday."Lana's jaw dropped when she realized her mistake. Covering her mouth, she exclaimed in regret, "Mr. Shields! How could I forget ab
Wendy said, "You have to walk faster than this, Larissa! It's almost time! Your husband can't wait!""Alright!" Larissa quickly gathered up her skirts and followed her.The sun was out.Its golden rays shone softly on the red carpet through the rose petals.Larissa suppressed her desire to stay here for a little while longer and quickly walked toward the end.It was the door to the glass hall.Gary held Aster's hand and his cane in the other, waiting for her at the entrance.When he saw her, Aster immediately let go of Gary's hand and rushed toward her. "You're so pretty today, Mommy!"Larissa patted his head and smiled gently. "Thank you."Aster was her flower boy. Like Gary, he was wearing a tuxedo with a little bowtie.He was holding a basket that was proportionate to his body. In it were rose petals of various colors and shapes.The music suddenly began playing.Gary walked up to her and extended his arm toward her. "Let's go."He looked at her with a smile, his eyes g
Gary and Lewis left Bartham after two days.Blue Star did not give them time off. They couldn't stay for long.Larissa's holidays were coming to an end as well. Half of the time, she was in the Rogers' villa.Because of the pandemic, most of the shops weren't open yet. She slept and ate at home most of the time and accompanied her family. It was quite nice.After the holidays, Kevan and Larissa went back to work.Aster was sent to the kindergarten that he'd been to before. Violet was the one who drove him to and fro.In fact, in order to better take care of him, the parents moved out of Rogers' villa and bought a house in Kevan and Larissa's neighborhood.The days passed in the blink of an eye.Blue Star's company in Bartham was quickly built. Lewis sent over a few loyal and trained employees to hold the fort with Larissa and hired people according to the company's needs. The company was soon on the right track, and the headquarters' work was moved over.Larissa grew busier an
Violet had set aside Larissa's breakfast for her.Larissa ate with reddened cheeks. Kevan and Aster, who had been waiting for her, got up at the same time. Violet brought out a boxful of pie from the kitchen."Don't forget this." She put the box in Kevan's hands."Alright. Thanks, Mom." Kevan looked at Larissa and asked, "Can we go now?"Larissa wanted to ignore him, but in front of Violet, she couldn't express her emotions right now."Yes," she replied, pulling Aster toward her. She said goodbye to Violet and strode out the door.Kevan smiled in slight annoyance and followed suit.…Kevan had told Aster beforehand that they were going to see Great-Grandpa. Thus, all of Aster's questions on the way there revolved around him."Why is great-grandpa called 'Great-Grandpa'?""Is he Grandpa's dad?""Is Great-Grandpa fierce?""If he's dead, how is he going to eat the pie?"…Kevan patiently answered all of his questions.Meanwhile, Larissa looked out the window silently.Keva
Since Larissa had gone downstairs alone, it was natural to expect a few questions."Where's Kevan? Why isn't he coming down with you?""Where's Daddy? He said he would launch fireworks with me."Larissa walked over calmly and made up an excuse. "He's tired, so he showered and slept."The older people did not doubt her. Only Lewis stared at her thoughtfully."Oh … Why did Daddy sleep so early?" Aster pouted in disappointment."You can get him to launch fireworks with you tomorrow. It'll be the same." Larissa patted his head, keeping a calm expression on her face.Anthony and Violet gave the gifts they'd prepared to Larissa and Aster.Violet looked at them, tears falling down her cheeks."I have no regrets now," she said."Thank you, Mom." Larissa gave her a big hug.Violet was stunned, and she cried harder."Good girl." She hugged Larissa back, smiling widely.After Anthony and Violet, Gary and Lewis gave them their gifts. However, they were calm. Aster was so happy that he
"Happy Reunion Day!"For some reason, Larissa's eyes became a little moist. Her voice even sounded a bit choked up."What's wrong?" Kevan nervously held her face, urging her to meet his gaze. "Didn't you like the fireworks just now?"She shook her head. "No, I really liked them!""Then, why are you crying?" Kevan couldn't stand seeing her cry; it tugged at his heart."I'm just very moved."She buried her face in his chest, speaking emotionally, "Welcoming the big family reunion dinner with the person you love is wonderful."The corners of Kevan's mouth gradually curved up as he heard what she said.The hand around her waist tightened inch by inch."I love you too, Lari."He lowered his head and planted a kiss on the top of her head.She hurriedly pushed him away as she sensed his body's response. But she couldn't move him much."They're still waiting for us downstairs!" she reminded him.Lewis knew she was awake, and the fireworks were already over. If they stayed he
It was a rare occasion to have the entire extended family gathered together like this for the big family reunion dinner. In the evening, everyone was in high spirits, having enjoyed a bit of alcohol. Violet took advantage of the festive atmosphere and insisted that Gary and Lewis stay.Since Larissa woke up early after a day without proper rest, she was already feeling quite sleepy even though the reunion dinner TV celebration had just begun.Violet was understanding and told her to go to bed.Larissa tried to muster her energy to stay up."No, I'll at least wait until after midnight."She wasn't someone who adhered to rituals or traditions.In previous years, she wouldn't have stayed up late specifically to welcome the big family reunion dinner day.But this year was different.She had the companionship of her family.She was no longer a drifting, rootless plant in a foreign land.Kevan furrowed his brows slightly and gave her a gentle push."You should get some sleep.
Larissa recalled that there was indeed such an incident.However, Kevan's excuse to her was that he needed to go to Westonia to handle matters concerning Edmund."Kevan knows how the customs work better than you! You're not even married. Yet, you're already taking his side!"Gary scoffed.His displeasure was quite obvious.Larissa chuckled awkwardly, then decided to come clean and reveal the whole truth. "Well, the truth is, Kevan and I never actually got divorced. I married him over six years ago."Gary hadn't heard this from Kevan.So, his emotions seemed conflicted upon first hearing that. He clutched his chest. It was as if he were experiencing some discomfort.Larissa and Lewis quickly approached him, asking with concern, "What's wrong? Are you okay?"In a sudden change of demeanor, Gary used his other hand to playfully tap Larissa's forehead.His expression instantly returned to normal. However, the tap was quite forceful, causing Larissa to wince in pain."If yo
Larissa had to pick up Gary and Lewis early tomorrow morning. So, after having dinner, she returned to her room to freshen up and get ready for bed. As she lay down on the bed, she found herself tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep no matter what she did.Kevan had just managed to put Aster to sleep before coming into the room. He noticed that the lights were still on.He furrowed his brow and asked, "Why haven't you fallen asleep yet?"Larissa lifted the blanket and sat up abruptly. "I'm feeling very anxious right now," she admitted.Her hair was in disarray.There was a troubled expression on her face."Anxious about what?" Kevan inquired."Well, my dad is coming over tomorrow. What if he doesn't get along with your parents?" The mere thought of that possibility gave her a headache."Uncle Gary is a reasonable person. He won't easily give anyone a hard time," Kevan defended Gary.His words brought a smile to Larissa's face. "Are you saying he hasn't been gi
"Alright, then. We shall head out." Larissa gathered her belongings and pulled Kevan toward the exit."I'll come pick you up tomorrow morning. It's almost the big family reunion dinner day. "So, it's hard to find a cab on the road. You might even find yourself waiting for half a day without coming across an empty cab."Gary didn't refuse. Instead, he requested, "Then, you come alone tomorrow."Her steps hesitated a moment, and she sighed inwardly. Gary really hadn't changed."Alright," she agreed.…As soon as they closed the door, Larissa began complaining to Kevan, "I thought my dad had really come around! Turns out, he still has reservations about you!"Kevan tightened his grip on her hand and smiled."Take it slow; there has to be a gradual process."He didn't expect Gary to change his attitude overnight. But as long as things were moving in a positive direction, he was content.She shrugged upon hearing that."Well, it's not me who's being wronged here; it's y