The woman clenched her fists, her face clouding with displeasure. "I'm not your prisoner!"The man responded with a cold laugh. "So? After 25 years, how does it feel to return to Brookville?"The woman's brows furrowed deeply. She removed her sunglasses, revealing a delicate face that bore a faint resemblance to Noelle. However, a closer look made it clear she was older. While she had maintained her appearance well, the passage of time was unmistakable."How does it feel? You're asking me how it feels?" Her face twisted with anger as her piercing eyes locked onto Harrison's. Her gaze was filled with hatred so intense it seemed she wanted to tear him apart. "Harrison Smith, what do you think I should feel?"Harrison squinted slightly, a faint smirk playing on his lips. A closer inspection revealed that he must have been extraordinarily handsome in his youth.His smile, however, never reached his eyes. Reclining in the backseat of the car, his sharp gaze stayed fixed on the woman. H
"After all these years, I thought you'd miss her. Ha! She's your and Flynn's daughter. What happened? How could you bear to leave her?""Harrison, you bastard!"Shirley raised her hand and slapped Harrison across the face. "You're nothing but a devil—a monster!""A devil? And you think you and Flynn are any better?" Harrison suddenly grabbed her wrist, twisting it behind her as his face darkened. His cold eyes locked onto hers. "Look at you. You left for so many years. Did Flynn ever come looking for you? To him, you were just a fleeting affair. Do you really think he cared about you?"Shirley's face turned pale."What good did it do, having his child? You were nothing but a homewrecker!""Enough, Harrison! I told you to stop!" Shirley raised her hand to strike him again, but Harrison caught it easily, pinning her arm in place. "Enough? Don't forget—it was you and Flynn who betrayed me first!""I never betrayed you, Harrison! You know it as well as I do. There was never anything
It turned out Harrison had never trusted her.Shirley's gaze dimmed as she lowered her eyes, her body trembling slightly. After a long pause, she looked up at Harrison again, her expression now calm and resolute. "You're right not to trust me. After all, I never trusted you either.""You…" Harrison's eyes turned sharp, his expression darkening. He opened his mouth to respond, but the car came to a stop. "Mr. Smith, we've arrived," the driver announced.Harrison narrowed his eyes as his cold gaze fell on Shirley. She seemed distracted, lost in her own thoughts.He was about to speak again, but Shirley had already slipped on her sunglasses, creating a barrier between them.She opened the car door and stepped out, standing tall in front of him with a frosty expression. "Don't follow me inside."As Shirley entered Springwood Garden, Harrison closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them again, his composure had returned. "What's the latest update?""Ms. Shrill visited Sir Jones."Ha
"The Shaws'?" Bailey looked surprised. "Sir, you…"Harrison paused briefly. "No, find out where Noelle is right now. I want to meet her.""But, sir, Noelle…" Bailey hesitated, glancing at Ellen for support.Ellen, however, seemed equally at a loss for words. Harrison's intentions were always difficult to decipher, even for those who had been by his side for years. "Sir, may I ask why you want to meet Noelle?"This move left Ellen completely baffled. What connection could Noelle possibly have with Harrison? Asking for an investigation into her was already strange enough, but now he wanted to meet her in person? It was simply beyond comprehension.Harrison's piercing eyes turned to Ellen, silencing her instantly. "I'll prepare the car immediately," she said quickly."I'll find out where Noelle is," Bailey added, immediately pulling out his phone to make a call after receiving Harrison's glare.Half an hour later, Bailey reported back to Harrison. "Sir, we've found her. Noelle is a
Noelle left Margaret's office after being reassured that both she and the baby were in excellent health. Margaret reminded her to take care of herself, avoid strenuous activities, and follow the same advice she had given during the previous check-up.Noelle smiled and agreed readily. However, Sean had messaged her earlier, asking about her whereabouts and instructing her to stay put. He mentioned that Charles was worried about her being alone and had sent him to act as her chauffeur.Hence, Noelle waited in the lounge connected to Margaret's office. With little to do, she idly played on her phone until voices from outside caught her attention.Initially, Noelle had no intention of eavesdropping, but the voices were loud—and one of them was strikingly familiar. Curiosity got the better of her, and she moved closer to listen.A woman's voice came through first. "Doctor, is this anything serious?""Not serious? It's a tear! What's with you young people? Do you not understand how deli
"But the doctor said your condition is serious, Winter. Don't be so stubborn. Your health is more important!" Suzy pleaded, glancing uneasily at Winter before turning to Margaret.Seeing Margaret's stern expression, Suzy hesitated, tugging lightly on Winter's sleeve. "Winter, please listen. Your health is what matters most!""But my reputation is even more important!" Winter retorted, her voice tense. "Who knows if this hospital is truly secure? What if someone finds out I'm here and sells the news to the paparazzi? It'll be the end of me! And if Xavier finds—"Before she could finish, Suzy quickly covered Winter's mouth, giving her a pointed look and blinking in warning. "Winter, if you don't say anything and I don't say anything, the doctor won't say anything either. Besides, we can check you in under my name. Would that work?"Suzy turned to Margaret. "Doctor, would that be okay?"Margaret regarded Winter and Suzy coldly, finally recognizing who the woman before her was. The fa
Back then, Noelle had given her heart entirely to Xavier, only to be rewarded with betrayal on two fronts. Hearing this news now, Noelle felt she should be happy, but she could not bring herself to smile.It took Noelle some time to process everything. After calming herself, she opened the door and was startled to find herself face-to-face with Suzy. For a moment, she froze. "You…""Noelle?" Suzy seemed equally surprised to see her emerge from the lounge. The realization quickly dawned on her. "You… heard everything?"Noelle nodded.Was that not obvious? She had been in the lounge the entire time. How could she not hear?Suzy's face paled slightly. "Noelle, you… I…""Don't worry, I'm not that kind of person," Noelle reassured her with a faint smile, noticing Suzy's anxious demeanor. "Aside from Dr. Ellison and you, no one else knows about this. If it ever gets out, Winter will immediately suspect the two of you. Are you afraid I'll pin the blame on you?"Suzy nodded hesitantly.
Noelle did not believe the excuse, and frankly, she did not care enough to dig further."Alright, I won't tell anyone about this," she said. After all, despite being at odds with Winter for years, they were sisters of a sort. While Winter had always been antagonistic, Noelle did not want to stoop to her level. "Go take care of her. She should stay in the hospital for a few days.""Yes, I will," Suzy replied.For some reason, whenever Suzy faced Noelle now, she felt an imposing and commanding aura from her—likely a result of her time spent with Charles."Oh, by the way, what are you doing here?" Suzy finally realized where they were—at a hospital, specifically the obstetrics and gynecology department.Noelle smiled and was about to reply when her phone rang. The screen showed Sean's number."Hello, Sean?""Noelle, you might need to wait a bit longer. I'm stuck with a patient right now," Sean said hurriedly from the other end."Operating Room 1, stat!" he barked, before returning
"Sean, stop messing around. Let go of me first," Liliana tugged at Sean's arm, realizing how tightly he was holding her. "You're choking me."Only then did Sean loosen his grip slightly, though he still did not let her go. His forehead rested against hers, and he panted softly. "Liliana, do you remember what you said to me in the fire?"Liliana's face turned red, and she awkwardly turned her head away. "N-No, I don't remember. What did I say? I don't think I—mmph..."Before she could finish, Sean kissed her, swallowing the rest of her words with that one stubborn kiss.Liliana raised her hands and smacked Sean on the shoulder, trying to push him away. "Sea—mmph, what are you doing? Let me go..."She shoved him hard, and Sean stumbled back, clutching his chest. Liliana's face went pale, and she rushed over. "Sean, what's wrong? Are you okay? Did I hurt you somewhere?"Nonetheless, Sean took the opportunity to wrap his arms around her again. That feeling of holding her tightly
Noelle raised an eyebrow. "I didn't say that."Then, she added, "That knot in Liliana's heart can only be undone by Sean."What happened back then had always been a shadow between the two of them. Noelle had noticed it these past few days. Though Liliana stubbornly claimed she no longer cared, she clutched her phone every single day, obviously waiting for a call.Liliana's social circle was small. Noelle and the others knew everyone she knew. Who else could she be waiting for but Sean?Charles furrowed his brows. "If Liliana can't have the best, then she's better off with nothing."Noelle could not help but laugh. "Alright, alright. I know you're still holding a grudge against Hayes and Savannah."Honestly, Noelle shared the sentiment. "Savannah really crossed a line with how she handled everything."Charles reached out and gently pinched Noelle's knuckles. "That's not what I meant."Noelle chuckled, exasperated. "I know."Outside, the sound of a car engine drew their attentio
Sean shoved Hayes away. "Dad, if you're just like Mom and trying to stop me from being with Liliana, then don't even bother. If I can't marry Liliana in this lifetime, I won't marry anyone else."With that, Sean lay down decisively. Hayes frowned. "Sean, this isn't about what we want anymore. It's about Liliana and Charles now."Truthfully, Hayes did not have many opinions about Sean and Liliana's relationship. He was always too busy with the company to pay attention to such things. Even the events from four years ago were only now becoming clearer to him."If you insist on marrying her, I won't stop you. But from what I can see, the problem lies with Liliana and Charles."Sean's gaze sharpened as he clenched his fists. "That's impossible. Liliana already forgave me back when the fire happened. She promised that if we both made it out, she'd marry me."Hayes sighed. "Your mother… She misunderstood Liliana and said some harsh things. Just rest for now. Once you're better, we'll go
Sean spat out a mouthful of blood. One hand gripped the bedsheet tightly, his gaze turning darker than ever."What do you mean by that? What do you mean she doesn't want to marry me? She promised me. She said that as long as I was willing to walk out of that fire with her, she'd be with me. You're lying to me, aren't you? Tell me you're lying to me."Sean's bloodshot eyes locked on Savannah's. "Tell me."Savannah was momentarily stunned by the sheer force of Sean's gaze. This was the first time she ever felt fear in front of her own son. "Sean, I…""Where's Liliana?" Sean demanded."Sean," Hayes called out as he pushed open the door and stepped in. "That's no way to speak to your mother.""Then how should I speak to her?" Sean's voice turned icy."Did you know it was Joanna who drugged me nine years ago? And while I was under the influence, I forced myself on Liliana? I misunderstood her, and as a result, she had to hide in the countryside for years."Four years ago, it was me
The operating room door swung open, and Liliana spun around. She saw Saxon step out. Not caring about anyone else’s opinions, she grabbed his hand. "Mr. Holt, how's Sean?"Saxon looked down at their hands, noting how soft and warm hers was. He met her eyes and nodded. "The patient is out of danger now. He should wake up by tomorrow."Hearing that, Liliana let out a sigh of relief and then suddenly fainted."Liliana!"Charles rushed over and wrapped Liliana in a tight hug, but his eyes quickly darted to Hayes and Savannah. "Now that Sean is safe, Sean's fate is no longer Liliana's concern, nor ours," he declared, speaking for the Hoffman family.With those words, Charles carried Liliana away. Saxon was tugged along by Linda. "Saxon, you should check on her. The young lady seemed off to me. She's been hiding her pain. Besides the wound on her shoulder, I think she breathed in a lot of smoke."Saxon's eyes shimmered for a moment. "Yeah, I'm aware."Liliana had been pushing through
"Charles, you…""Stop it!" Hayes was taken aback by Savannah suddenly slapping Liliana. He did not particularly like or dislike Liliana, but she was part of the Hoffman family, and their family commanded much respect. Besides, Noelle was still Charles's wife, and they had to be careful about their actions.Hayes turned to Charles. "I'm sorry, my wife acted without thinking. But what in the world happened today?"Hayes had been told that his son was hurt, but he did not know the details. When he arrived and saw Liliana was there and injured too, Hayes and Savannah could not help but think that Liliana must be connected to Sean's injury.Charles gave a sharp look. "It was Joanna's doing.""Joanna? No, that can't be!" Savannah was shocked to hear the name Joanna, and she quickly objected, "Joanna is such a sweet girl, she couldn't possibly...""Oh, sweet indeed!"Liliana, who had been silent until then, finally spoke. She narrowed her eyes and stood up, ignoring the pain from her w
"Liliana!""Get up quickly!" Liliana used all her strength to pull Sean up from the ground. "Can you walk?""Uh-huh!" Sean had been hit by a falling piece of wood on his leg when he tried to push Liliana out earlier. That was why he could not get out in time and could only hear Liliana's loud calls from outside.He had wished so badly for Liliana to leave quickly, but she had come back for him.Sean bit down hard and pushed himself up.Even if it was hard to walk, he had to try because Liliana wanted him to stand.Liliana slung Sean's arm over her shoulder, noticing his injury. Her eyes were red with tears. "Sean, hang in there. If we both make it out today, I'll forgive you. You can ask me to do anything.""Really?" Sean's eyes sparkled, and he smiled. "Liliana, I don't want you to do anything." In his heart, he added, ‘I just want you to marry me.’"The fire is licking at our heels, and you two are still dawdling," came Charles's icy voice from up ahead. In a flash, he was be
"Sean, where are you? Didn't you just say you love me?" she cried out. "How can you leave me like this, saying you love me and then j-j-just giving up? What am I supposed to do now?"Sean, you took our child from me. How could you think I'd just forgive you? If you don't make this right, I swear I'll never forgive you," Liliana yelled outside, her voice filled with madness. Inside, the plant was engulfed in flames. Shaking from head to toe, Liliana's screams slowly turned into a whisper. She clenched her hands tight, staring blankly at the fire. "If you're gone, what's left for me here?""Liliana!"Charles rushed over and saw Liliana moving toward the flames. He grabbed her and pulled her back. "What are you doing?"Liliana looked up, dazed, and saw Charles. She quickly stood up and grabbed his hand. "Charles, please. I'm begging you. Help me save Sean, please!"Charles's brow creased as he looked at the fiery red inferno, his fingers tensing. "Liliana, the fire's too big. Sean mi
Liliana shoved Sean aside and covered him with her body, taking a knife stab from Joanna. "Ugh..."Pain whitened Liliana's face, and blood dripped onto Sean's face. Reacting quickly, Sean rolled over, picked Liliana up in his arms, and seized Joanna's neck, twisting it hard until it cracked. Joanna's eyes bulged in disbelief as she stared at Sean."You..."She had not thought Sean would actually snap her neck. Her eyes were wide open, one hand clutching a knife, and the other holding a lighter.With her last breath, she tossed the lighter.A loud bang followed, and flames started to spread from that spot.Sean's eyes darkened as he carried Liliana and dashed for the exit. However, how could he outrun the swift spread of the fire while burdened with Liliana's weight?Liliana's eyes widened as she saw the flames creeping up behind them. She pushed Sean, urging him, "Go now, or it'll be too late!"However, Sean's eyes turned a deep red with emotion. "Liliana, I won't let go of you