Tania shook her head. "It's nothing. I just thought Kelly was acting a little weird, that's all. Come on. Let's go see how Noelle is doing!""Sure!" Peter agreed with a nod. He watched Tania take Bran by the hand and head into the hospital room. Peter's eyes lingered on the spot where Kelly had just been, and it took him a moment before he turned and followed them inside.Sean had finished drawing blood and noticed Noelle looking a bit pale. "Why don't you lie down for a bit or have some candy?" Sean offered, pulling a few pieces from his pocket and reaching out to Noelle. However, Charles blocked his hand. "They're so dirty. You can't give those to Noelle!""Hey! Who are you calling dirty? What's dirty about them?" Sean was clearly annoyed by Charles's fussiness. "Look at you, all finicky. Kelly didn't mind when I gave her some after her blood test!"Charles squinted at him. "They're dirty.""Come on, you..." Sean said, rolling up his sleeves like he was ready to throw down with
"Hey, come over here and see me," Noelle said, waving them over to sit down. Peter had taken Sean and Charles outside, leaving Tania feeling relieved and at ease. She sat down with Bran next to Noelle and asked, "So, Kelly knows what's going on with you too?"Noelle nodded. "Yes, she does. That's why she didn't just come to visit."Tania nodded, understanding. She glanced at Noelle's belly, her eyes filled with concern and a bit of worry.Noelle caught the look and reassured her with a smile. "I'm not too worried, you know. You've been okay for three years now."Tania's smile faded a little. She kept to herself that she had not had any problems because she had not faced any triggers. However, Noelle had faced something that set off her condition last time, which was why she got sick so quickly."Right, then it should all be fine. I think my brother just wants to make sure you're okay by having you in the hospital. So, you might as well make the most of it and get him to spoil you
Peter left the next morning, bright and early. Tania knew where he was headed, but she could not shake off a feeling of unease.Before he left, Peter had a serious talk with Charles. Tania knew things were serious, even though Peter and Charles had not told her everything.Charles had a lot on his plate, looking after both Noelle and Collosus Group. Lately, Collosus Group had been rocked by chaos, from outside attacks to internal strife. Charles realized that was not like the minor troubles of the past. The enemy had come prepared, secretly placing many of their own inside Collosus Group. If Steven had not led a team to breach the enemy's firewall and uncover some clues, Charles might have been clueless about the infiltration.Worried that Tania might be in danger, Charles decided to place her and Bran under the protection of the Hoffman family.The Hoffman estate might not look like much from the outside, but Maxwell had been busy over the years, gathering a strong team of guards.
"No need. Where was the secret Lifebringer seen two days ago? Email me all the details, and get a high-performance car ready." Peter got into the car after speaking. Jeremy was shocked for a second, then hurried to follow, taking the seat next to the driver. "Mr. Lennon, I'm on it right now!"Half an hour had passed, and Jeremy had emailed all the details about the secret Lifebringer to Peter. Meanwhile, Peter's team had quickly arranged for a rugged Hummer to be at his disposal. "Mr. Lennon, is this to your liking?" they asked.Without even a sideways glance at Jeremy, Peter hopped into the vehicle and clicked his seatbelt into place. "Get everyone on it right away. Search every nook and cranny, and keep in touch with me non-stop by phone," he instructed.Just as Peter was about to zoom off, Jeremy called out, "Mr. Lennon, shouldn't you bring some backup? It's been pretty dangerous in Francoria lately."Peter shook his head. "No need. More people just means more problems." He was
Noelle could not shake the feeling that something was wrong. Lately, when Kelly visited, she seemed troubled. Thinking back on their recent conversations, Noelle grew increasingly worried. As she burst through the door, her heart raced. She wanted to stop what was happening, but it was too late.The moment Noelle entered, Kelly had already grabbed the syringe from Sean and jabbed it into her arm, pushing the medicine in with a quick thrust.Kelly's face was pale, and when she saw Noelle, she tried to smile. "Noelle, what are you doing here?""What are you doing?"Noelle grabbed the syringe from Kelly, but it was too late. The medicine was already in.With tears in her eyes, Noelle bit her lip hard. "Why did you have to do this?""What did I do wrong?" Kelly noticed Noelle's teary eyes and chuckled softly. "I just felt a little sick, so Sean gave me a shot. Why the tears?""You're still trying to trick me. It can't just be a shot, you..." Noelle felt like they were all treating h
"Aren't you just being careless?" Kelly helped Noelle into her room, her voice full of concern. "You're young and look healthy now, but when you get older, you'll see that your body can't handle the way you've been treating it!"Noelle laughed. "You talk like you're so experienced, but you're only a year older than me, right?"Kelly blushed a little, feeling awkward. "I'm still your older sister.""Yes." Noelle did not want to bicker with Kelly. "Anyway, where's Seth?"Kelly was at the Hoffmans', where Seth was having a blast playing with Bran. Her face lit up as she talked about Seth. It was clear Kelly adored him. "Seth hardly ever finds friends his own age, but he and Bran get along great!"Kelly always had more to say about Seth. "Tania's done an amazing job raising Bran on her own.""Yeah!" Noelle agreed, giving a nod. "Tania really went through a lot at first." She reached out and held Kelly's hand. "It's been tough for you too, raising Seth by yourself, hasn't it?"Kelly
After hopping into the car, Kelly noticed that Ronald was unusually silent, not uttering a single word.Kelly did not know Ronald super well, but she knew enough to sense that something was off. "Mr. Wells, where's the toy Charles told you to pick up for me? Seth's been waiting for his Transformers set!"The man in front jerked in surprise, then said, "Oh, I'm terribly sorry. I was so focused on picking you up that I forgot. How about I get it tomorrow?"The man who was supposed to be Ronald eyed Kelly cautiously, and she did the same to him. When he finally answered her question, Kelly's forehead creased with worry. "Mr. Wells, could you pull over at..." She scanned the surroundings. "There's a mall right across the street. Let's stop there so I can grab a present for Seth. I haven't seen him all day, and I bet he'll be upset if I come back empty-handed!"Kelly's request made sense, but the man hesitated for quite a while. "You know things aren't safe right now. We still don't hav
"Ha!" Kelly gave a dismissive laugh and brushed off the man's words. "You think I'd believe you?" She would not believe it for a second. "If he really cared about me, would he have let me wander alone for years? Stop the car. I don't want to see him.""Sorry, but my job is to take you back home, Ms. Anderson!" The man would not listen to Kelly. "Ms. Anderson, just hold on. We'll be there soon."Kelly stopped struggling because she knew that this man would not let her go no matter what she said.Kelly did not know what was happening, but after a bit, she felt weak, and her head spun. Before she knew it, she was fast asleep. The man in the front seat peeked back, took the cloth from her face, and saw Kelly sleeping peacefully. He started the car and drove off.Ronald was hiding outside the hospital. He saw Kelly get into the car and quickly called Charles. "Mr. Hoffman, it happened just like you said. That guy couldn't wait and pretended to be me to take Ms. Anderson."Charles was b
"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