In Larissa's opinion, Bethany was a piece of work. Although, in her understanding, a five-year-old child shouldn't be capable of scheming. Besides, she was Kevan and Ruby's daughter. Therefore, it wouldn't come as a surprise if she was more intelligent than her peers.Larissa hoped that she was overthinking.As Larissa rarely returned home early, she unexpectedly ran into Dylan downstairs. Since they didn't live in the same building, he shouldn't have been there.Dylan explained, "I came out for a walk."Larissa didn't believe him.Meanwhile, Aster was delighted to see Dylan. He didn't need Larissa to tell him to greet Dylan. Larissa resisted the urge to bring him upstairs immediately.Dylan asked Larissa, "I heard that Aster is attending kindergarten nearby. Aren't you sending him back to Aldovia?""His mother is too busy to take care of him. I heard that the private kindergarten here offers extended hours of childcare, so I decided to let him stay. I initially thought of letti
On the top floor of the inpatient department of Redland Hospital was a VVIP ward where the daily fees amounted to several thousand dollars. Dylan stepped out of the elevator and walked to the end of the corridor, pushing open the door of the ward guarded by several bodyguards clad in black.Once inside, he locked the door behind him, just as he had done every time.The man lying on the hospital bed, who had his eyes closed, quickly removed the various equipment attached to his body and sat up."Take it easy, don't strain your back," Dylan said. He was only half joking.Kevan had spent nearly six years in the hospital. Initially, he was in the military hospital, but he couldn't stay there for an extended time due to the scarcity of beds. Hence, he transferred to Redland Hospital, which was a private hospital for the wealthy. As long as he paid the hospital, he could stay as long as he wanted.Kevan had been confined in a small space for a long time. As such, his muscles gradually d
"Okay, I got it. Thank you," Dylan hung up the phone and recounted what the homeroom teacher had said to Kevan."With my mother's intervention, Larissa and Aster would not suffer any grievances," Kevan expressed his complete trust in his mother.However, Dylan wasn't as optimistic as him."In your mother's eyes, Bethany is your only child or the only descendant of your family. Meanwhile, Larissa is a former daughter-in-law with no blood relation and no contact for several years. Do you think your mother will favor her over her granddaughter whom she brought up? Who do you think your mother will favor? The answer is obvious," Dylan said, his tone filled with sympathy as he patted Kevan's shoulder.Kevan was shaken, as every word Dylan said made sense."After my mother visits the kindergarten tomorrow, you can give the teacher another call," Kevan suggested."Kevan, I feel like you haven't grasped the main point," Dylan said, shaking his head."Huh?" Kevan looked puzzled."Lariss
After having a conversation with the homeroom teacher, Violet arranged for Bethany to apologize to her classmates before the class began. Hence, Bethany stood at the front of the classroom and bowed to everyone."I'm sorry," she said, her voice low and remorseful. "I was wrong, and I won't do it again. I hope you can forgive me."Children around the age of five years old were the most innocent. They didn't consider things the way adults did. Often, they would express their emotions directly.They all looked at her timidly. None of them dared to speak up. Violet felt a bit uneasy and had her maid distribute the snacks she had prepared to all the children in the class.It had been many years since she cared about others' opinions. Now, for the sake of her granddaughter, she had to force a smile, appeasing a group of children."Bethany has realized her mistake, and I have scolded her too. You are all good children, so don't be mad at Bethany. Can you be friends with her?""No!" a li
Feeling a little disappointed, Violet answered, "I hope so." Her dissatisfaction with Ruby grew as she started to miss the good times she shared with Larissa."By the way, that student of yours—Aster in your class, is he a new transfer student?" She shifted the topic to Aster."Yes, he transferred here less than a week ago." At the mention of Aster, a smile appeared on the homeroom teacher's face. "He is outstanding, smart, obedient, and kind to other classmates. Everyone in the class likes him. Speaking of which, you can encourage Bethany to befriend Aster. If their relationship improves, the other classmates will accept Bethany as well."Violet didn't like Aster much—after all, he was the child of Larissa and another man, which made her feel uncomfortable. Hearing the teacher praise him like this made her more uneasy. The stark contrast between Aster and Bethany made her feel ashamed.She couldn't help but think that if Larissa had conceived Kevan's child, the child would have
Larissa went to work with Aster tagging along since there were no kindergarten classes on Saturday. As Aster had grown tired of the children's playground in the hotel, Larissa packed a few books and a tablet into his small backpack, intending for him to spend the whole day in her office.The moment she entered the office, Larissa sensed something was up. She was usually the last one to arrive in the mornings because she had to drop Aster off at the kindergarten on weekdays. When she arrived, everyone would already be seated at their desks, earnestly working. However, today, they gathered together, chatting like they had never done before.Upon seeing Larissa, they scattered like a flock of pigeons and quickly returned to their seats. Those using computers continued their work, and those flipping through documents returned to doing so, their faces filled with guilt.Larissa was not a strict leader. As long as it didn't interfere with work hours, she never cared whether her employees
Larissa remembered that most of the guests on the 16th floor were from the "Time of Childhood" cast.She went to the front desk and had them check the records in the system. Room 1623 was indeed included among the dozens of rooms the "Time of Childhood" crew booked.Since the crew themselves decided on the room assignments, the front desk couldn't find out who the guest in room 1623 was.However, room 1623 was a luxury suite, and only a few prominent actors and influential people within the crew could stay there.Larissa's heart sank at the possibility that Cody might be meeting the producer of "Time of Childhood." She grabbed the front desk's intercom to call the housekeeping staff. "Who cleaned room 1623 today? Do you know who is staying there?"A few minutes later, someone replied, "I cleaned it, and it seems to be a female celebrity, but I don't know her."It calmed Larissa down a little. She instructed the security, "If that man enters any other room afterward, you must in
Cody did not appear in Winston Hotel again after the stunt Lana pulled.However, just a few days later, major media outlets began to report on the rumors of Cody's affair with Yvonne. The articles featured the same set of photos, with a minimal time difference in their upload timestamps.The photos were taken without their knowledge, with angles that either showed their profiles or captured them from behind. The entire picture was blurry, and the dim lighting in the background only allowed for vague outlines of the two individuals.From the photos that revealed their profiles, it was possible to vaguely identify Cody and Yvonne as the main characters. To further enhance the credibility, the media even provided high-definition front-facing photos of the two as a comparison.The sequence of several photos told a complete story. Cody drove to the set to pick up Yvonne after work. They had dinner together at a luxurious restaurant and finally stayed at one of Cody's properties until th
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