"Marry you?"Charles stared at Kelly coldly as if he were facing a clown. "Did you forget to take your meds today?"Kelly bit her lip and refused to respond no matter what he said.Charles looked at the woman slumped on the floor with an icy gaze. This was the first time he had seen Kelly in such a state. He pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "You think if news of me marrying you spreads, it'll bring him back? You certainly think highly of yourself."He scoffed, looking down at her with disdain. "Choose something else."Kelly let out a bitter laugh as she pulled herself up from the floor. "Don't you want to know who that man is? If you announce that you're going to marry me, he'll find out. And when he does, he won't let his own child call you 'Dad', will he? Charles, are you willing to take the gamble? If you win, you'll know who he is.""Oh?" Charles chuckled, his tone laced with amusement. "What makes you think I'm desperate to know who he is?"Kelly clenched her
As a woman herself, Noelle knew Kelly had to be feeling incredibly fragile at the moment. Knowing that a third person had overheard their conversation would undoubtedly leave Kelly humiliated.Sure enough, after hearing Noelle's words, Kelly's expression darkened even further. She clenched her fists, gritting her teeth. "You must be feeling very smug, huh?"Noelle felt completely innocent in the situation. She looked at Kelly, furrowing her brows slightly and feeling a bit helpless. "Ms. Anderson, I think you've misunderstood. I'm not feeling smug at all."In truth, Noelle had already known about most of this from overhearing Grant and Kelly's conversation at the hotel. She had long since understood the situation.For Kelly to accuse her of being smug was unjustified. Furthermore, Noelle did not think there was anything here to be smug about.However, seeing Kelly's current state, Noelle realized that reasoning with her would likely be futile. Instead, she calmly remarked, "Ms. An
"What do you want me to do?" Kelly finally said.Noelle sighed inexplicably. "Nothing much. I'm not the type to force people. My request is simple—don't come looking for my husband again. It upsets me."Kelly frowned. "That's it?""That's it," Noelle replied, raising her eyebrows. "What else did you think? While I do dislike seeing someone who looks exactly like me, your face is something your parents gave you, isn't it? As long as you don't come looking for my husband anymore, staying in Brookville will actually be much easier.""What do you mean?""Just tell Grant that you don't love Charlie, that the child isn't his, and that you're not staying here for him. That's all.""Noelle, do you think I'm a three-year-old?" Kelly sneered, feeling like Noelle was playing her for a fool. She hated herself for momentarily believing Noelle's words.Noelle pursed her lips, then gave Charles a playful glance. "Charlie, do I have a witch's face?" she teased, pinching her cheek dramatically.
"You want to use me to draw him out?" Kelly was not blind to Charles' methods, but hearing him say it so plainly still made her heart sink. "Charles, I stayed by your side for so many years and even helped you avoid countless troubles.""And you think those three years you spent abroad were uneventful by chance?" Charles' cold laughter shattered the last shred of Kelly's dignity. "You knew I'd come to see you today?""No, I didn't.""That's impossible!""Even without you, that man will surface eventually—it's just a matter of time. Do you have anything else to ask? If not, you may leave."Kelly did not remember how she left Collosus Group. All she knew was the crushing humiliation she felt in front of Charles and Noelle. She stumbled out, utterly disoriented.She wandered aimlessly along the streets, unsure of where to go. She was unable to figure out where she belonged. She did not know the meaning of her existence or why she should keep living.Her shameful origins had never
Kresten quickly opened the door when he saw Grant approach. "Mr. Anderson!"Grant narrowed his eyes. "Where's Seth?""He's inside. He just fell asleep," Kresten replied."Seth!"Kelly's face turned pale. She shoved past Grant to get into the car. Only after seeing Seth sleeping peacefully did she finally let out a breath of relief.She turned her head, her gaze fierce as she locked eyes with Grant. "Seth is just a child. Why? Why does everyone use him to threaten me?""Everyone? Even Charles?" Grant's lips curved into a faint, sarcastic smile. The hint of lightness in his expression made Kelly pause, and she stared at him in a daze.Grant's expression darkened as he shut the car door and got in as well. "Drive, Kresten.""Yes, sir!" Kresten got into the driver's seat and immediately started the car.Kelly sat next to Seth, holding him protectively. Grant's presence made her tense up, and her body instinctively stiffened as if shielding Seth from harm.Grant squinted at her. S
"I said, the woman who destroyed my family and your biological mother, Shirley Shrill, is currently in Brookville, at Springwood Garden!"Kelly's body trembled slightly, her eyes turning bloodshot. "You're saying she's back now?"Her voice was filled with venom, and her expression seemed even more hateful than Grant's.Grant furrowed his brows. "Yes, I received the news not long ago.""Why are you telling me this?" Kelly shouted. "And why only now?""Does it matter?" Grant asked flatly, his gaze steady on her. "Does her return truly matter to you?"Did it matter? Kelly asked herself the same question.Part of her longed for Shirley's return so she could ask why she gave birth to her only to abandon her. Why did she leave her in the cold, unfeeling Anderson family? Why did she become a mistress? Why…Yet another part of her wished Shirley would disappear forever, vanish without a trace.Kelly did not know what Shirley's existence meant to her. Was her return merely a painful re
Grant's eyes glinted with a sharp, icy light, and his piercing gaze rested on Kelly, cutting into her like a blade.Kelly was startled by his demeanor. Outside, the wind howled, rattling against the car windows. When one of the windows was rolled down, the sudden rush of hot wind swept inside, giving her a fleeting sensation of being trapped in hell.She straightened her back, her eyes filled with fear but also stubborn defiance.Grant suddenly chuckled, his voice low and cutting. "You're quite something."Kelly shivered involuntarily. "You like Noelle, don't you? If Charles knew about this, what do you think he'd do?""What do you think?" Grant's tone was calm and indifferent as his gaze briefly flicked toward her. "Do you really think that would be enough to threaten me?"Kelly bit her lip, but Grant had already looked away. "Whatever feelings I may have for Noelle, it's not for you to judge.""You're afraid, aren't you?" Kelly said, her voice trembling with bitterness. "I nev
Noelle tilted her head, appearing to think for a moment. "Probably just after Kelly arrived.""And you heard everything?" Charles casually held her fingers, his tone unhurried. "Hmm?"Noelle nodded. "I probably heard everything I was supposed to, except the parts you haven't said yet." She pondered seriously for a moment before asking, "Did you really use Kelly back then?"Although Noelle did not like Kelly, seeing her so lost and broken just moments ago left her feeling conflicted.Charles did not respond verbally, but his expression said it all.Noelle could not quite describe how she felt. It was not pity or anger but something heavier. She was not Kelly and had not gone through Kelly's experiences, so she could not fully understand her emotions.Still, Noelle thought that if something like this had happened to her, she probably would not have been able to bear it.Charles' expression softened as he gazed at Noelle. Seeing her like this, he sighed softly. "Did it scare you?"
Kelly's fists clenched and loosened repeatedly, the process repeating several times. The silence in the hospital room was so oppressive it seemed to echo in her ears.After a long pause, she finally took a deep breath and said, "It's too late today, but I'll come to the hospital tomorrow morning for the blood tests.""Alright."Charles' expression softened slightly."But you need to promise me one condition."Kelly seemed to have thought deeply about it. After a long pause, she finally said, "Seth is my life.""Alright."Kelly laughed. In the quiet hospital room, her laughter was not loud, but it was enough to make Charles turn and look at her.Kelly looked back at Charles, her lips trembling slightly. "Sometimes, I really envy Noelle. She has a man who loves her so deeply. But Charles, does she know the side of you with blood on your hands?"Charles narrowed his eyes. "She doesn't, and she doesn't need to."Kelly laughed again, lowering her head to hide the loneliness in her
"What about Jethro? Do you know him?"Kelly's hand instinctively tightened around the strap of her handbag, her face turning a shade paler."Charles, speak plainly. What exactly do you want from me?"Charles laughed softly. "I'm a businessman. I think you know that about me. I prefer making deals with smart people."As he spoke, he noticed Kelly's confusion. Rising to his feet, he slid his hands into his pockets.Standing with his back to Kelly, Charles looked out of the window, his voice calm but edged with steel. "Yves is a member of the Hoffman family. I don't know why he's targeting Nelly, but whether it's what's happening now or your abduction years ago, his goal is the same—to pressure me.""And so what? Charles, you should also understand—if it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been taken by him in the first place!"Kelly was not naïve. She could not fully grasp Charles' intentions, but the fact that he had approached her meant he already had a plan.In the past, she migh
Kelly felt heavy-hearted as she left Noelle's room. A shadow fell in front of her, and when she looked up, she was surprised to see a man standing there.Ronald gave a slight nod. "Ms. Anderson, Mr. Hoffman would like to see you.""Alright," Kelly replied, then glanced back at the room."Um… Earlier, it seemed like Noelle had a reaction?"Ronald nodded again. "Mr. Hoffman is aware. Please don't worry, Ms. Anderson. There's no immediate danger."Kelly let out a small sigh of relief. "Thank you. Please take me to see Charles."Charles was actually in the room adjacent to Noelle's. Worried about her safety, he had stationed people all around her room and was sitting in the nearby room to monitor the situation himself.Ronald opened the door and gestured for Kelly to enter.Kelly saw Charles seated on a couch, his eyes fixed intently on a monitor. She stepped closer and noticed that the screen displayed a live feed of Noelle's room.Noelle had struggled to lie back down after Kell
Noelle looked at Kelly with confusion, and Kelly smiled faintly. "Back then, I was completely devoted to Charles even though he didn't have me in his heart. Did you think I didn't know that? "But he still kept me by his side. I always thought I was different from the other women around him. No matter how many women came and went, I didn't care because I believed I could outlast them all."And he neither encouraged nor stopped me, as if silently approving of my actions. I foolishly thought that this was his way of showing I was special to him."Kelly paused, her voice softening. "I once believed that even if he didn't love me, staying by his side for the rest of my life would still make me happy. But later…""Later?" Noelle prompted, sensing there was more to the story. Suddenly, a thought struck her. "You met Seth's biological father?"Kelly looked at Noelle in surprise, then laughed bitterly. "Do you think I'm ridiculous? Proclaiming my love for Charles, only to end up having
The door was suddenly pushed open, and Kelly hurried into the room. "Are you alright?"A clear and crisp voice echoed above her. Noelle was initially startled, and she looked up to see that it was Kelly.The sight of Kelly replaced her pain with surprise. "You…" Why was she here?Before Noelle could finish her sentence, she bent over again, clearly in discomfort."What's wrong? Are you having an episode?""An episode?" Noelle looked up at Kelly, confused. "What episode?""I'm just experiencing fetal movement. The babies have been very active lately," Noelle explained, studying Kelly's face. The concern on Kelly's face quickly turned to surprise."Why are you here?"Noelle could not fathom why Kelly would visit. To her, there was not any connection between them—at least not one Kelly was aware of. Kelly's presence was baffling.However, she could not ignore the strange way Kelly looked at her. "I'm having twins, so my belly looks bigger than usual. These past few days, the babi
Grant's gaze flickered briefly, almost imperceptibly, before he avoided Kelly's question altogether. "It's getting late. I'll have Kresten drive you there."His words made it clear that he was not willing to answer. Knowing Grant's temperament, Kelly understood that pushing further would yield no results. She did not press the issue. "Then please watch over Seth for me. I'll be back soon."When Kelly went downstairs, she saw Kresten already waiting for her. Kresten quickly stepped forward and opened the car door. "Ms. Anderson, please get in."Kelly nodded and got into the car. As soon as she settled, she began to feel a twinge of regret. But deep down, she knew she could not turn back now.She wanted to see Noelle—the sister she had unknowingly been separated from for more than 20 years, someone who shared the same fate as her.The thought of having a sister was entirely new to Kelly. It was an odd and unfamiliar feeling. Memories of their past interactions flooded her mind. No
Seth nodded, tilting his head as he looked at Kelly. "Mommy, you cried."Though young, Seth was incredibly perceptive. Noticing Kelly's red eyes, his small, soft hand reached out to gently rub her cheek.He even leaned closer and blew softly on her face. "Don't cry, Mommy!""I didn't cry, not at all," Kelly said while patting Seth's back gently.There was an apologetic look on her face. "I just forgot to make dinner for you tonight.""Then, Mommy, let's eat out! Seth has money—lots and lots of money. Seth will treat Mommy to some meat!"Seth's sweet, innocent words made Kelly's eyes redden again, but she smiled and nodded. "Alright, Seth. Change your clothes. I'll take you out for dinner, okay?"Later that evening, Kelly sat holding Seth while watching TV, but her mind could not stop drifting back to Noelle's face.Grant's words replayed in her head: she and Noelle were full-blooded sisters, sharing both parents.Kelly looked down at Seth, her thoughts in turmoil. She could
"Are you sure it's a virus?" Kelly asked, her voice trembling slightly."Yes," Grant replied with a firm nod, his sharp eyes fixed on her.He could see the disbelief and shock in Kelly's gaze, along with traces of guilt and unease.However, Kelly suddenly laughed, and she turned her head to face Grant. "Noelle has a virus, so she should go see a doctor. Why are you coming to me? Ha! It's ridiculous that Charles still wants to get me involved when his wife is sick. Why?""Kelly, this virus is extremely rare," Grant explained, his tone steady. "Sean currently doesn't have a clear treatment, but he mentioned one potential solution."Kelly's eyes flickered slightly, betraying a crack in her facade. "If there's a solution, then try it.""Sean believes we need to extract active enzymes from the blood of her closest relatives. Harrison and Shirley should already be at the hospital."Kelly froze again, her lips pressing into a thin line."Oh," she replied, feigning calm, though her emo
Grant noticed Kelly's reluctance to look at the documents and frowned slightly before speaking in an indifferent tone. "You don't have to look at it if you don't want to. After all, it's your decision whether to accept it or not."He placed the file on the table, his tone calm and detached, as though this matter had nothing to do with him.However, Kelly was far from calm. She glared at him, her voice trembling with suppressed anger. "If that's the case, why did you bring it here? Why did you agree? Why…"Her voice grew louder as she yelled at Grant, her emotions spiraling out of control. The noise startled Seth, who was sleeping in the other room.Hearing Seth's cries, Kelly immediately pushed past Grant and rushed into the room to scoop him into her arms. "Seth, don't cry. Mommy's here!""Mommy!" Seth clung tightly to her, his little hands grasping at her clothes."Yes, Mommy's here," Kelly murmured, cradling him as she gently patted his back. She hummed a soothing tune into hi