Liliana was stunned by Keith's words. Her hands trembled slightly at her sides before she finally reached out and held Keith's arm. "Keith, you're still young. I'm not worth it. I really don't deserve you.""Liliana, I know whether you're worth it or not. That's not for you to decide. Be good, Liliana. I'll go with you to the hospital in a bit. We'll get you checked out," Keith said gently, patting her back to comfort her. "Don't be scared.""But what if I really am…" She was terrified. She had no idea what she should do.Even though she had been sick these past few days, she had been thinking a lot about her relationship with Keith, about herself, and about the baby."I already told you, no matter what decision you make, I'll be on your side.""What if I want to keep the baby?" Liliana asked.Keith froze for a moment, then held her tighter. "Then we'll keep it. If that's what you decide, we'll get married—right away. I'll take care of you, and I'll be good to you and the baby fo
The woman kept talking while the man beside her grew a little impatient. "Alright, alright. We've been married for years. This isn't even your first pregnancy.""Hmph." The woman huffed, turned toward Liliana, and then glanced at Keith. "Young lady, are you newlyweds? First baby?"Liliana had not expected the woman to strike up a conversation. When she heard the question, she froze for a moment and then instinctively looked toward Keith.Keith smiled and held Liliana's hand. "Yes, it's our first. But we don't know for sure yet! We tested at home, but we came to the hospital just to make sure. We want to hear what the doctor says."He grinned. "She's been throwing up a lot.""Oh, then you're definitely pregnant," the woman replied cheerfully, eyeing Liliana from head to toe. "Your wife is beautiful. Trust me, you're expecting. I'm already on my second."Liliana felt embarrassed, especially after hearing what Keith just said. She could not help but lower her head. Keith's warm hand
Liliana's test results came back, and it was confirmed that she was pregnant. For her, it did not feel like good news. Even though Keith had said that if she really was pregnant, they would get married right away, Liliana still felt uneasy.This child was not Keith's, and she did not want him to suffer because of it.After they left the hospital, Liliana's mood remained low. During the examination, the doctor directly asked them whether they wanted to keep the child.At the time, Liliana hesitated. Deep down, she did not want the baby. However, as a woman who was about to become a mother, she found herself wavering at that moment.Keith noticed her hesitation and immediately led her away from the hospital. Naturally, Liliana did not see the figure in the distance who had been watching her the whole time.Sean had only come to Central City Hospital that day because of work. In fact, it was not necessary for him to make the trip himself, but the hospital's director used to be one of
Sean's name represented something powerful—authority. To have reached such a high position at a young age, he was someone countless people tried to curry favor with.Sean did not recognize the person in front of him. "And you are?""It's Jayla! Don't you remember me?" Jayla Radford smiled brightly as she looked at him. "We were classmates. I was also in Vista University's medical department, class of 2009."Only then did Sean study her more closely and nod. "Hello.""Right, I heard you opened a private hospital. What brings you to our hospital today?" Jayla was thrilled to run into such a big name and wasn't going to let this chance go to waste. "Oh, I work in the obstetrics department now."Sean narrowed his eyes and glanced down at the medical report Jayla was holding. His gaze abruptly locked on the name written on it. In one swift motion, Sean reached out and snatched the report from her hands. In that instant, his expression turned deathly pale.Jayla did not understand what
"Hey, Sean!"Jayla did not know what Sean was doing, but when she saw how awful his expression looked, she decided not to follow him. "Sean, why did you take my patient's report?"Unfortunately, Sean had already walked too far away to hear her.Jayla stared at his retreating figure and sighed helplessly. "Forget it. I'll just rewrite it."Luckily, her memory was decent, and there should still be a copy saved in the system. Still, she could not help wondering to herself—did Sean know that woman? Otherwise, why would he react like that?Sean got into his car and drove straight to Liliana's apartment. He went on pure impulse without thinking why. By the time he arrived downstairs, Liliana and Keith had just returned and stepped out of their own car.On their way home, Keith had stopped at a nearby mall to help Liliana pick up some essentials.Liliana still had not decided what to do about the baby, but Keith seemed to take it for granted that she would keep it. He had purchased qui
Sean had been waiting downstairs the entire time. Ever since Keith had gone up with Liliana, he never came back down. Sean sat motionless in his car, maintaining the same posture for hours.He kept his eyes fixed on the floor where Liliana's apartment was. First, the lights in the living room turned on. Then, after a long while, the lights in the bedroom lit up as well.His eyes, usually dark and emotionless, were now bloodshot. His hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly it seemed like he might crush it.Just when Sean thought he might lose control and charge upstairs, the lights in the bedroom went out.A long time passed before he saw Keith coming down with two bags of trash. After throwing them out, Keith did not go back up and left directly.Sean's cold, shadowed gaze remained locked on Keith until he completely disappeared from sight. Only then did Sean look away.Keith had no idea any of this was happening. Still, he could not shake the feeling that something was off t
Liliana looked at the breakfast Keith had ordered and felt a lump rise in her throat as she quietly finished eating it.After lying at home for a while, her thoughts drifted back to the dream she had the night before. Alarmed, she quickly got up and opened her bag. However, the moment she unzipped it, her face turned pale as she realized she did not have her medical report.That report contained confirmation of her pregnancy, along with various notes and instructions, including her emergency contact information.If a stranger found it, that might be manageable. However, if someone she knew picked it up… What then?Panic rising, Liliana jumped to her feet. She thought hard and realized she had not gone anywhere else after leaving the hospital. The only possible place she could have dropped it was at the hospital. Without hesitation, she rushed back there.It was around noon, which was a relatively quiet time, so there were not too many patients. Jayla had just finished organizing h
When Liliana heard that, her face turned pale in an instant. It felt as if a sharp blade had sliced through her chest. It was an ache that left her breathless."I understand," she said quietly. "I'll be taking my leave now. I won't disturb your lunch break, Dr. Radford."With her hand on the doorknob, she took a deep breath and quickly opened the door to leave the consultation room. But just as she stepped out, she bumped into someone head-on.Liliana staggered a little, kept her head down, and quickly sidestepped the person to walk away.Joanna blinked, startled by the sudden impact. She watched the retreating figure in surprise, narrowing her eyes slightly as if trying to make sure she was not mistaken. She stared for a while longer, frowning faintly."What are you doing here?" Jayla, who had just finished packing her things, looked up and saw Joanna standing at the door. She raised her eyebrows. "Aren't you working at Mr. Smith's hospital? What brings you here today?""I too
"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