Maris agreed, vowing not to let the person who bullied her daughter-in-law go unpunished and cause Lani so much pain.Kane hung up the phone, feeling an emptiness so profound that even his gaze seemed dispirited. At that moment, Lani's emotions were in turmoil, and she needed time to calm down. He also understood that now, he shouldn't go looking for her.But just the thought of Lani not needing him anymore made him feel pain so intense that he couldn't breathe. Happiness seemed to be within reach, only to slip away suddenly, and Kane felt a furious anger that could destroy the entire world.At this moment, the ringtone of Kane's phone abruptly echoed in the quiet space. Kane hoped it might be Lani calling, hastily pi
Kane sat alone, nursing his drink, unwilling to delve further into discussions about Rachel. Thoughts of Lani consumed his mind."Have you explained everything to Lani? What did she say?" Roger seemed to have added more details, but Kane paid little attention, silently bowing his head, fixated on the bottle of alcohol before him, lost in thought.Upon hearing the question, he lifted his head momentarily, shaking it. "She didn't want to hear my explanation. I guess she's angry and hates me now."Kane wasn't usually a pessimistic person, but this situation left him without optimism."If you want, you can easily find Lani and talk to her now. Why not do that?" Roger suggested.Upon hearing this question, Kane could only let out a sigh. "But I want Lani to want to see me willingly. Showing up now and saying I want to talk would be like forcing it, only making her hate me more."Saying those words, Kane resumed pouring himself another drink, also filling Roger's glass."Enough talking. Let
Fortunately, Kane refrained from uttering meaningless words after a while, and Roger helped him wipe his face before tucking him into bed, then returned to his room. A peaceful night unfolded.The next day, when Roger awoke, Kane was still sleeping. With a sigh, he descended to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.Just as he pulled a sandwich from the oven, Kane descended from upstairs."What happened yesterday? Why am I here?" Kane inquired upon waking up. The events of the previous day had completely slipped his mind. All he felt was an intense headache and disorientation, and the surroundings seemed strangely unfamiliar, much to Roger's surprise.Upon hearing the question, Roger tilted his head, observing Kane. His disheveled appearance and unkempt clothing gave him the air of someone heartbroken, a stark contrast to the usual demeanor of Kane."Have you forgotten everything from yesterday? You were heartbroken, so you called me to join you at the bar for a drink," Roger explained suc
As for Lani, in these past two months, she had diligently immersed herself in work to cease thinking about Kane. Because the time spent with Kane was too perfect, and Kane treated her so well, letting go was never easy.To thwart the continuous thoughts of Kane, Lani committed herself wholeheartedly to her film project. Fully aware her role in Director Lee's film was thanks to Kane, she focused on shooting all scenes early to detach herself from any lingering connections with him.The production of the new film had also commenced, leading Lani to shuttle between two cities throughout the day to ensure the filming schedule. Consequently, this period was overwhelmingly busy and exhausting for Lani.Nevertheless, she embraced this hectic sensation, as it diminished her thoughts of Kane. It caused her heart to momentarily numb, a sensation she welcomed.Around two months later, Lani's life had returned to its original orbit, as if Kane had never appeared. Aside from occasional feelings of
Several months later, Lani still hadn't crossed paths with Kane and hadn't heard any additional news about him.During these days, she continued in the familiar routine, earnestly filming or participating in advertising shoots. When she had free time, she slept or watched films on the TV as a way to rest after strenuous workdays.The film project in this city had wrapped up its final scenes. It allowed Lani to return to the city she had always lived in. However, the prospect of this return seemed to weigh on her unexpectedly."What if we detour and explore the neighboring city B before returning? Consider it a way to unwind after these exhausting days of filming?" Aurora, noticing Lani's hesitation as she packed her belongings into the suitcase, eagerly suggested. Lani, not eager to rush back, gladly agreed.In the next three days, with no fixed schedule, they decided to spend two days exploring city B. So, much like before, Lani and Aurora dedicated their evenings to discovering the
In the end, while Lani hesitated, Aurora directly handed her phone number to the young man. As he happily departed, Aurora winked at Lani."I think he's quite a catch, don't you? Tall, handsome, and seems genuinely sincere. You should give yourself a chance to be loved again.""Don't dwell on Kane anymore. You should forget him soon and start a better love story with someone new. It's been six months since you two divorced."Lani nodded absentmindedly, her gaze distant and contemplative. Aurora remained silent, sitting beside her, sipping coconut water, occasionally observing Lani's expression.Subsequently, a few others approached, seeking Lani's phone num
Upon hearing that, Kane swiftly embraced Lani as if lightning had struck. After a few moments of bewilderment, Lani struggled to push Kane away, only to suddenly feel the warmth on her shoulder. Kane's tears fell." I know I'm the villain, and I'm the one who's been tearing apart this marriage.""It's all my fault, and I'm willing to accept any punishment as long as you come back to me, can't you?"Kane silently buried his head in Lani's shoulder, tears streaming down, his voice hoarse and choked, with a hint of trembling.The more time passed, the tighter Kane held onto Lani, as if he wanted the two to be tightly bound together, ensuring that Lani would never leave him again."Hey, calm down a bit. Whatever it is, let's talk slowly, don't cry."Until now, in Lani's impression, Kane had always been a mature and emotionally stable man; she had never seen Kane so vulnerable before. Just the fact that Kane bowed his head into her shoulder, shedding tears of self-pity, softened her heart.
Everything unfolded just as Kane had predicted. When Aurora saw him accompanying Lani, her initial reaction was a disdainful squint, followed by a chilly response."Why are you here? Are you trying to bother Lani again?"Aurora's usually sharp face now deliberately wore a cold expression, making her seem even more distant. She regarded Kane as if he were a villain, ready to push him out and lock the door.Lani intervened to ease the tension."Aurora, I invited him here. What happened before might have been a misunderstanding, and we can have a decent conversation over breakfast, can't we?"Aurora
Aurora drove Lani back home. On the way, she received a call from Ryan. His voice was urgent as he explained that he had forgotten an important document at home and needed it for a meeting at the company. He asked if Aurora could conveniently swing by his place, pick up the document, and bring it to the office. Ryan's urgent tone worried Aurora, but she reassured him. "Don't worry. Just wait for me a moment. I'll drive to your place right away." Although aware of what was happening, Lani still pretended to be surprised. She looked at Aurora's worried face and asked, "What's wrong? Does Ryan have something urgent at the company?" Aurora nodded, explaining briefly, "Ryan forgot an important document at home. I'll take you home first. Then I'll drive to Ryan's place to bring him the document." Lani nodded, comforting Aurora. "It's okay. Stay calm. Ryan's work is more important. You drive to his place first." Aurora nodded. Along the way, Lani would occasionally glance at Aurora. He
The next day,Lani went shopping with Aurora. Her belly had grown, causing her previous clothes, especially the fitted dresses that accentuated her curves, to no longer fit comfortably. So, she strolled through the mall with Aurora to buy some looser-fitting dresses to wear at home."Hey, do you think I need to buy clothes for my dear daughter in advance?" Lani gestured towards the store across the street. "There's a children's clothing store over there that has beautiful clothes. I want to buy some for my daughter."Aurora nodded. "Sure, let's go. I also want to buy a few dresses for my goddaughter."Lani and Aurora enjoyed their shopping spree, picking out quite a few outfits for the newborn baby girl. It will ship to Lani's house.Lani looked excitedly at the staff who was wrapping the tiny clothes in a delicate box."They're so beautiful. I'm sure my daughter will love them."Rubbing her belly, Lani smiled as if she were talking to the baby. "My little Ice Cream, do you like these
When it came to naming their child, Kane felt helpless with Lani. She always insisted she was carrying a daughter, citing her intuition as always correct.So from time to time, Lani would come up with a few names for her daughter and then ask Kane what he thought of them.It wasn't the first time Kane looked helplessly at Lani."How can you be so sure you're having a girl?" he asked.Lani mysteriously smiled. "That's a mother's intuition.""But you didn't answer me, did you? How do you feel about the name Ice Cream? Or maybe we should name our daughter Strawberry?"Lani wanted to give her child this name for a simple reason. She loved ice cream, especially strawberry ice cream. Yet during the early months of pregnancy, Kane didn't allow her to eat ice cream, so she wanted to name her child Ice Cream as an expression of her fondness.Lani seemed to like this name, giggling as she rubbed her belly. She was pregnant three months along. It had grown a little larger, and she rubbed it exci
After their conversation, Kane urged Lani to have breakfast. He prepared a table full of diverse dishes for her, including chicken congee, salad, egg sandwiches, and milk. Lani looked at the spread in amazement."I won't be able to eat all of this. It's too much," Lani remarked.Kane gently stroked her head."It's okay. Eat as much as you want. You haven't been eating much lately due to morning sickness, so I cooked dishes to help you eat more."The three of them sat down for breakfast. And Kane kept adding more food to Lani's plate."Have another piece of sausage. It's delicious.""The salad is also tasty, with a light and refreshing flavor. Can you eat a bit more?""Do you want some more congee? I'll get you a little more. The chicken is cooked so tenderly; it tastes amazing."Lani ate until she was comfortably full, rubbing her belly."It's all because of you. I'm so full I can't get up anymore," Lani joked.Kane chuckled, lifting Lani carefully and leading her to the living room.
Lani thought that compared to her, Kane was calmer and more composed about her pregnancy. He acted cautiously, protecting and caring for her well, always rational and reliable. But it seemed that Lani was somewhat misunderstanding. Compared to her, Kane sometimes seemed more childish.For example, at present.After dinner, they sat on the sofa and watched a movie. Roger called. He recounted the busy past few months abroad working on a successful collaborative project and was now back in town.Kane turned on the speaker. So Lani could hear Roger's excited voice."Haven't seen you in a few months, how about going out for drinks? Me, Leo, and Ryan will be there. Come here for some fun."Kane made a noise of surprise, asking, "Huh? What? Are you congratulating me?""You know I'm about to become a father? How could you know that?""Yeah, that's right. Lani's been pregnant for two months now."Not only was Roger shocked on the other end of the line, but Lani was also surprised. She rubbed h
The days of rest for Lani have arrived. Compared to her, Kane seems even more tense.Lani sleeps until noon, waking up in Kane's embrace. Kane will smile at her, gently rubbing her belly."Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere? Are you tired?" he would ask.Lani has explained many times.She's not even two months pregnant yet.And her belly is still flat as usual. But Kane enjoys touching Lani's belly. He claims he can feel the baby growing inside her when he touches it.Lani is sure this is just Kane's imagination, but she doesn't have the heart to disillusion him and make him sad.She shakes her head and reassures him that she's fine.Kane helps her sit up, carefully takes her hand, and leads her off the bed, then guides her into the bathroom to brush her teeth.Kane hands her a cup of warm water, helping her get toothpaste and massaging her scalp."I'll go downstairs to make breakfast for you. Come down when you're brushing," Kane says.Lani nods drowsily.As she descends the stairs,
The female doctor emerged with the results. Though the scene mirrored what had happened a few minutes ago, the emotions of the three were now quite different.They anxiously watched the doctor, who seemed to want to smile. She looked kindly at Lani."Congratulations. You're six weeks pregnant," The doctor said.Lani's mind was sluggish. The chaotic sounds swirling around her left her bewildered. She stared blankly at the doctor, unable to react. Her lips moved as if wanting to say something, but no words came out.Sensing Lani's daze, the doctor approached and placed the result paper into her hand."Rest well and avoid high-intensity work like you've been doing," the doctor advised, glancing at Aurora and Kane sitting nearby."You two are Lani's husband and close friend, right? Take good care of her. The first few months of pregnancy are crucial. She needs plenty of rest, a balanced diet, and should avoid..."The doctor proceeded to give a series of instructions for pregnant women. Au
In the following days, Lani must balance shooting her film and meeting Ryan to plan their engagement. Despite her busy schedule, Lani remained cheerful and relaxed.After finishing a scene and resting in the dressing room, Lani would look at Aurora, who was giggling mischievously."What's so funny? Why are you laughing so happily?" Aurora asked, surprised, as she touched Lani's face, her expression dreamy."It's a secret," Lani replied mysteriously.Aurora thought Lani's laughter might be due to stress from filming, so she didn't pay too much attention to it.Then, one day, while filming, Lani suddenly raised her hand to signal a break and rushed into the restroom to vomit.Concerned, Aurora followed her and found Lani standing in the restroom, exhausted, with her head hanging over the toilet but unable to vomit anything. Aurora rubbed Lani's back to make her feel more comfortable."What's wrong? Are you feeling very uncomfortable?" Aurora asked anxiously."I don't know what's happeni
Lani relaxed and enjoyed herself in the following days until she received a phone call from Ryan."Lani, could you help me with something?" Ryan's voice sounded nervous and anxious, making Lani tense up. She asked in surprise, "What's going on?"Ryan hesitated for a while, not knowing where to start. He sounded flustered. "It's a long story. I can't explain it in a few sentences. Can you meet me? Let's meet at the coffee shop near your house!""And also, please keep it a secret from Aurora. Don't let her know we're meeting," Ryan added.Lani agreed, and Ryan said they would meet in an hour.After hanging up, Lani looked puzzled and asked Kane. He was sitting beside her, "What's going on? Ryan sounded very serious."Kane stroked Lani's hair and calmly looked at her. "I guess Ryan wants you to help him plan a proposal to Aurora."Kane conveyed a lot with just a short sentence. And Lani understood.She exclaimed, realizing that was why Ryan had asked her not to let Aurora know about the