Noelle could not help but smirk and shake her head. "Okay, Sean." She had just spaced out for a second. "But why are you looking for Charles? He's tied up in a meeting right now!"As she started to stand up, she asked, "What can I get you to drink?""Whoa, hold up! Don't even get up. If Charles hears that I had you, a pregnant lady, fetching coffee and water for me, he'd have my head!" Sean's face twisted into a comically horrified expression, making Noelle laugh and roll her eyes at him."Seriously, take a seat. I know my way around here like the back of my hand. I'll help myself!"With that, Sean grabbed a glass of water for himself and poured a warm cup for Noelle. "Remember, no cold water for you now that you're expecting!""Got it!"Noelle nodded. "You still haven't spilled the beans. What's up with Charles?"Sean was the type who would not show up without a good reason, so it must be something pressing.He glanced up casually. "Oh, it's nothing major. I just felt like dro
"No way!" Noelle quickly gestured with her hands. "That's not me!"She hesitated. "Well, do you think it's me?"Sean quirked an eyebrow. "If it’s not you, then who would it be?" The answer hit him almost instantly—Kelly. That woman.How had he overlooked it? Kelly and Noelle shared such a striking resemblance, so she looked a lot like Shirley too. “Did you go to that press conference yesterday about the scandal that’s all over the news?"Noelle nodded quickly, and just like that, everything clicked for Sean.That explained the late-night call from Charles. Even though Kelly was the one in the spotlight, Noelle must have had her doubts, prompting Charles to reach out to him.Putting two and two together, Sean got straight to the point. "Are you trying to figure out how you're connected to this Shirley? Or are you curious about your connection to Kelly, Grant, and the Andersons?"Noelle had harbored all these suspicions, but Sean's candidness still made her cheeks warm with embarr
"What?""Uncle had a fiancée back in the day.""Who?""Get this! It was Noelle's mom, Jade.""What?" A flicker of shock crossed Charles's narrow eyes. "You're telling me Uncle Harrison was engaged to Jade?""Yeah," Sean said, taking a sip of water and pausing momentarily. "I mean, it's wild how small our world is, right?" He was just as shocked when he first heard. "Jade is the last person you'd picture as a high-society debutante. But my aunt really thought she would be perfect for the part. Back in the day, Jade and my aunt were really close. I guess Jade wasn't as fiery back then! My aunt mentioned that Jade had a bit of a crush on my Uncle Harrison. But something went down, and Uncle Harrison took off to Capiton while Jade got married, as we know.”Charles squinted, caught off guard by the backstory. "What happened next?" He leaned in, eager for the rest of the story."There's not much to tell. Uncle Harrison never really came back after heading to Capiton. Word is that he s
"Don't worry. I'm on it. The Canfield family's after my project, and Yankel's gonna have to cough up something big in return.""Good, just hurry it up. Bobby's sickness isn't waiting for anyone." Sean's heart ached at the thought of Bobby in the hospital bed and Liliana's daily distress. "You don't want Liliana to go through another ordeal, do you? The nightmare from three years ago still haunts her. Bobby can't afford a crisis right now.""I've got it under control. Anything else?" Charles's tone was dismissive, clearly signaling the end of the conversation.Sean rubbed his nose, a bit miffed. "Don't get too comfy kicking people to the curb once they’re done helping you!"Charles's laugh was icy, his eyes glinting with a dare. "Oh, it can get even more satisfying. Do you want to give it a shot?"Grinding his teeth in frustration, Sean balled his fists and gave Charles a defiant wave. "You’re playing hardball, Charles. Just remember this when you come begging for a favor.""Isn't
Brian's expression turned odd, and he shifted uncomfortably under Noelle's steady gaze. "It's nothing, really. It's just that I've been trying to reach her, and she seems to be busy all the time. Or maybe she hasn't seen my messages?"Noelle's face lit up with realization. She figured that Teresa and Brian had not been in touch lately, and that was probably why Brian was on the lookout for her. Noelle's eyes twinkled with mischief, convinced that the pair must have good chemistry. She pretended to mull it over for a bit before saying with a touch of hesitation. "Well, it's not really a big deal. Teresa just went to some social event not too long ago, so she probably made a couple of new friends, you know?""A social event? New friends?"Brian zeroed in on those words, narrowing his eyes at Noelle. "Ms. Saunders went to some kind of social event?" He looked totally shocked, as if he could not wrap his head around the idea of Teresa going on what sounded like blind dates.Noelle ca
Brian had been away on a business trip just a few days ago. He was planning to pick up some gifts to bring home, so he reached out to Teresa to get some ideas, but she never got back to him.Brian tried contacting Teresa when he was back in town again, but his messages might as well have vanished into thin air. That was why he was testing the waters today, but he had not expected Noelle to hit him with such a bombshell.Teresa was seeing someone? Seriously? How had he missed that?He begrudgingly guessed it made sense, considering Teresa’s radio silence."If there's nothing else, Mr. Parker, I'm going to head out.""Sure."Brian nodded, his mind elsewhere. He only breathed a sigh of relief once Noelle walked out. He stared at his phone, wrestling with whether to call Teresa and congratulate her.Did he really want to congratulate her?Noelle left the project department with a grin she could barely contain. She wanted to burst out laughing, but this was the office, after all. Sh
"Well, that's not a given. Brian's always been the master of self-control. Maybe he's just not used to the situation yet. But if he figures out you're playing him, I bet...""Why overthink it?" Noelle brushed off Charles’ concern with a wave of her hand. "When it comes to love, someone's gotta make the first move. You've got to take a leap of faith, right? Did you forget how we got together? If you hadn't made your move, none of our amazing stories would've happened, would it?"Charles's gaze intensified. "You're right, as always!"Noelle's eyes crinkled with a mischievous glint, her playful look sending a tingle through Charles. He gently tousled her hair and let out a wistful sigh. "Here's to hoping your friend gets her happily ever after!""That's the spirit!""Yep!" Charles agreed with a nod. "It's time for Brian to step out of the shadows. Maybe your friend is the fresh start he needs!"Noelle's thoughts drifted back to a past conversation with Charles. He had mentioned that
"What's our next move, sir?"Ellis had been with Harrison for a long time, yet he still found it hard to predict his boss's thoughts, let alone make any assumptions about his desires.Ellis had long realized that Shirley was the only person who could ever shake Harrison's composure. At the same time, she always seemed to rub him the wrong way. Despite that, Harrison's dedication to her was unwavering.Harrison declared with a glint of mischief and malice in his eyes, "I can't see Grant keeping someone's loyalty for a lifetime. Start a rumor that Shirley's going to a movie premiere in a few days!"Ellis hesitated, looking at Harrison with concern. "Sir, with Shirley's health being the way it is, she can't possibly attend any event!"Getting Shirley on her feet was hard enough, much less getting her out the door!Harrison's gaze, sharp as ice, landed on Ellis. "That's not your concern. Just handle it. By the way, doesn't Kelly have a kid with her?""Yes. Rumor has it that he’s an
"Don't forget that I was already with Keith before you and I... You know. It's normal for couples to be together like that, right? Did you really think you were the only one for me?""Liliana," Sean was clearly upset. "This isn't like you.”"No! Don't you know me well enough by now?" Liliana clenched her teeth, staring into Sean's intense gaze. She gathered her courage, balled her fists, and silently cheered herself on. "Keith is good to me. If it hadn't been for that slip-up with you, things between Keith and me would be even better now."While she said that, Liliana was inwardly apologizing to Keith.She had to lie to keep the baby. "If you don't believe me, just wait until my boyfriend gets here. You can ask him yourself. No guy would be okay with his girlfriend being with someone else. I never told him about us. I just thought of it as a mistake.""That's enough," Sean's voice was icy as he cut her off. He could not bear to hear Liliana talk about another man, especially when
After Sean said those words, he immediately wished he could take it back. He saw Liliana’s face, which was already ghostly white, lose even more color.He tried to reach out and comfort her, but Liliana pushed his hand away. Her lips trembled as she spoke, and her hands were balled into fists. "What gives you the right to talk about my baby? Whether he's born or not, what's it to you?""Liliana." Sean was taken aback by her fierce words. "You know I don't love you. I've always thought of you as a sister. That night was a mistake, and you don't want to keep a reminder of it, right? This baby shouldn't be born.""Stop it!" Liliana could not stand his words. "Sean, how can you be so heartless? He's a living being. You can't just decide he shouldn't exist."Liliana let out a bitter laugh. "Oh, I get it. You're scared, right? You've always treated me like a sister, but now you've crossed a line with your 'sister’. Are you scared of the gossip? Or are you just afraid of people saying you
A man's clear and calm voice rang out. Liliana fully awakened, blinking in surprise as she looked toward the speaker.It was Sean. It was actually him.Her face turned pale, and her fingers clenched the blanket tightly as she looked at him with a trace of fear.He was here. Did that mean he already knew about the pregnancy?Liliana bit her lip and slowly inched backward as though she were truly afraid of Sean.What she did not realize was that her reaction felt like a knife in Sean's chest. He thought that she did not want to see him and did not want him near her, which was why she instinctively pulled away.Sean stood there with a deep frown, his expression dark and unreadable. His eyes were fixed on Liliana.Her body trembled. Every time she thought of what Sean had said to her that day, she felt like she could not bear it.She bit down harder on her lip and tried her best not to look at him, as if lowering her presence could make everything disappear. She wished desperately
"That was an accident." Sean gritted his teeth, clenching his fists tightly as veins popped across his knuckles.Peter glanced at him with slightly furrowed brows. "The first time might've been an accident. What about the second time? Sean, you're too deep inside to see clearly. Do you really know what you want?"Sean was about to speak again, but Tania came out of the ward at that moment. Sensing the tension between the two men, she raised a brow. "What's going on?""Nothing. Let's go," Peter replied, slipping his long arm around her and pulling her petite figure into his embrace, holding her close."Come on, we haven't even eaten dinner yet.""Oh please, it's your fault I came, and you didn't even show up until so late."Peter and Tania walked off, their figures disappearing into the distance. However, Sean remained where he was, rooted to the spot. It was not until his body began to feel stiff that he finally pulled himself together, composed his expression, and pushed the doo
When Sean saw Liliana lying on the floor with a bright red pool of blood spreading beneath her, he had to admit that he had gotten scared. He had been scared that she might leave him just like that.Sean clenched his fists. "Take the pregnant woman to the ward."Tania hurried over. "Sean, is Liliana okay?"She saw the exhaustion all over Sean's face. "She's really pregnant? But she just lost so much blood… Is she…""She's fine. We stabilized her in time." Sean paused. "Both mother and child are safe."Only God knew that when he said those few words, a wave of emotion surged through him. It was so overwhelming it felt like it could drown him. He did not know how to describe the feeling. It was foreign.Tania let out a breath of relief. Although she was curious about how Liliana ended up pregnant, knowing that both Liliana and the baby were safe was enough for now. "Then I'll go to the ward and check on her.""The anesthesia hasn't worn off yet," Sean said. "She won't wake up toni
Sean let go of her wrist. "She's okay. It's probably—"His face froze mid-sentence as his gaze landed on the red stain beneath Liliana. His expression darkened instantly. "Quick, get her to the hospital!"Tania also noticed the red stain beneath Liliana and her expression changed slightly. "What happened? Liliana, she…"Before she could finish, Sean had already scooped Liliana up into his arms. Without waiting for Tania, he rushed out of the apartment and down the stairs with Liliana in his arms.Tania's mind was still a mess. All she could picture was that pool of blood beneath Liliana. There was not a lot, but… was Liliana really pregnant?Was what Joanna said true?Then whose child was Liliana carrying? Keith's?Tania thought back to what Joanna had just screamed at Sean and found herself growing increasingly confused. As far as she knew, Liliana and Sean were not that close.Sure, they were both students from Vista University, but Sean had always been difficult to approach.
Tania opened her mouth, momentarily stunned by the hostile air radiating off of Sean. Though she was not sure why he was acting so violently, she was the first to snap out of it.She stepped in front of him. "Sean, now's not the time to waste on her. We don't even know what's happened to Liliana yet."Sean finally released Joanna and gave a slight nod. "Let's go."The moment Sean let go of Joanna's wrist with visible disgust, Tania pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped her hand as if she had touched something filthy. Then, she tossed the handkerchief aside.Her eyes swept over Joanna's pale, shell-shocked face. With a slight smirk, unreadable in its intent, she gave Joanna one last glance before catching up to Sean.As for what Joanna had just said, Tania did feel some doubt, but she was sharp enough to know she would not get anything worthwhile out of Joanna.Once she got in Sean's car, she turned to him. "There's something you're not telling me, isn't there?"Sean di
"Sean, you've gone too far."Lennox could not hold it in anymore. "Joanna just likes you. If you don't feel the same, you could've just rejected her."Sean let out a cold snort. "If that worked, do you think she'd still be here? With a brain like that, some people are destined to be pets their entire lives."His words were harsh and unforgiving. "Just because my mother likes pets doesn't mean I do. Joanna, take care of yourself."Joanna bit down hard on her lower lip. "Sean, how can you say that? That's not what I meant. I just—""Enough. I'm not interested in hearing your nonsense."Tania glanced at Joanna and grinned, which only made Joanna's resentful gaze land sharply on her. Tania raised her brows, about to retort, but her phone suddenly rang. She reached into her bag, saw that it was Liliana's number, and quickly answered. "What's wrong, Liliana?""Tania, help me.""What happened, Liliana? Where are you?"Tania's expression changed instantly. "Hang on, I'm coming right n
"Sean, you misunderstood. I'm not after any of that… I just… I just like you!"Joanna, humiliated in front of everyone by Sean and Tania, could hardly bear the embarrassment. With so many familiar faces watching, the sting cut even deeper.She bit down on her lower lip, her hands clenching tightly into fists. To some, like Lennox and the others, she looked pitiful—like someone others might feel sorry for. However, her performance did nothing for Sean and Tania.Lennox suddenly spoke up. "Hey, I know your family's rich, Sean, but that doesn't mean you get to humiliate someone like this! Yeah, sure, Joanna likes you—but is it wrong to like someone?"Sean frowned slightly and raised his head to glance at Lennox. He did not say a word, but Lennox immediately took a step back, instinctively swallowing hard.Damn, he was a grown man, and he actually flinched at Sean's stare.Scared into silence, Lennox said nothing more. Neither did anyone else.Edgard, ever the smart one, had known f