"What's going on?"Sean frowned and looked toward the doorway. The person who had pushed the door open was the floor manager of The Majestic Lounge.Hearing Sean's question, the manager, Aidan Bonds, immediately wiped the sweat from his forehead and stammered, "I-It's nothing, really… It's just a small commotion. The matter's already been taken care of. Actually…"Before Aidan could finish, voices shouting outside reached Sean's ears. Vulgar and crude insults filled the hallway.Although The Majestic Lounge was open for business and technically did not turn away paying customers, it was a high-end club. Normally, people with low manners were not even allowed inside.The moment Sean heard the voices, a cold gleam flashed through his previously calm, harmless expression. And then came a woman's voice, sounding sharp and familiar.Sean's expression darkened. Without another word, he stood and quickly left the room.At that moment, Tania was outside in a shouting match. Though both
"He's not here yet!" Tania huffed the moment Peter was mentioned. "He dragged me out here, and now, he's the one who has disappeared."As she spoke, her gaze shifted to Sean. "But you... what are you doing here?"She glanced behind him, and the moment she caught sight of Joanna, she gave a meaningful, knowing smile.Sean frowned slightly. He had always suspected Tania was not as sweet as she appeared, and ever since she got together with Peter, he could see she had begun to resemble him in more ways than one. That sharp wit, that sense of mischief—it was all starting to show.Sean pinched the bridge of his nose. "A med school classmate came back from overseas. We're just getting together."Tania let out a long hum, the kind that dragged out like she was chewing on the syllable.She stepped forward and patted Sean's shoulder. A wave of gasps rippled around them. Even the floor manager of The Majestic Lounge looked over at Tania in surprise.Though Tania had been there a few times
"Wait, that's not right." Tania suddenly clapped her thigh as if something just occurred to her. "We haven't gone that long without seeing each other, have we, Joanna? Wasn't it just the other day at the mall? We were shopping for clothes together."Tania reminded her casually, but Joanna's face turned pale instantly. She subconsciously clenched the hem of her blouse. Her expression grew tense, and inwardly, she panicked. She was terrified that Tania might blurt out what happened that day.She instinctively glanced at Sean, only to realize he was not even looking at her.Joanna felt an ache in her chest. Why would Sean not look at her? From the moment he arrived until now, he had not spared her a single glance.Even now, with Tania deliberately bringing her into the conversation, Sean never once turned his eyes toward her. That cold neglect left her feeling completely defeated.Thinking back to the shopping trip, she had said a lot of suggestive things in front of her colleague.
"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
"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
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 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.
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
Liliana turned and saw Yankel looking at her. She felt a bit shy and brushed her hair aside. "Mr. Canfield, let's talk outside," she suggested.Yankel looked at Bobby, who was fast asleep, and nodded. "Okay!"Liliana saw that Yankel needed help, so she gently pushed him out of the room.They did not go far, just out to the hallway outside the hospital room.Liliana paused for a moment before looking at Yankel with a serious expression. "Have you noticed that Bobby seems really scared of Xenia?"Yankel's brow creased as he thought about how Bobby had acted in the hospital room. He stayed quiet."I'm not implying anything bad. I raised Bobby, and he's definitely not scared of me. Mr. Canfield, you saw for yourself that Bobby doesn't push you away," Liliana said, her point clear. There were only the three of them in the hospital room earlier—Bobby could not be afraid of Yankel or Liliana, which left only Xenia.Yankel's frown deepened. "That can't be right. She was the one who su
Once Xenia had left, Bobby, who had been so tense and frightened, finally let himself relax. Liliana watched Bobby with a hint of doubt, then glanced at Xenia walking away. Her brow stayed knitted with concern.Yankel had no idea what Liliana was pondering. He was just thrilled to have some alone time with his son. This boy was his and Samara's, their only child together. Now, Bobby was his sole focus in life. Yankel could not quite put into words the swirl of emotions he felt.Samara was gone, and Bobby was the last link he had to her.Yankel's eyes, deep and filled with warmth, rested on Bobby. Bobby might not have known Yankel well or felt comfortable around him yet, but he was starting to understand a lot more these days.Liliana had explained to him that Yankel was his real dad. She had gently told him that his real mom was in Heaven, a place of beauty.Bobby was not sure what Heaven was, but he thought it must be a really nice place. Liliana had told him that everyone would
Bobby spoke those two sentences in a very soft voice, leaning in close to Liliana's ear. Neither Yankel nor Xenia could hear him.Liliana's heart skipped a beat, and she looked at Yankel and Xenia with a worried look in her eyes.Yankel looked puzzled and a bit mad. Xenia, on the other hand, looked away when Liliana tried to catch her eye, so Liliana could not read her face.Turning back to Bobby, Liliana gently wiped the tears from his chubby cheeks and whispered, "I'm right here. I won't leave you." Then, she turned to Yankel and said, "Mr. Canfield, I'll just stay over here, okay? I promise I won't get in the way of your time with Bobby."Yankel was not happy about it, but he knew he did not have much choice with Bobby being so upset.Bobby was his son, but he had always been with Liliana. She had raised him. Trying to separate them then would probably make things worse.Yankel nodded. "Okay, but it might hold you up a bit."Liliana smiled. "It's no problem at all. It’s my jo
Sean's head was pounding, and his eyebrows twitched with frustration. "Linda, just go away," he said through clenched teeth."I'm going to tell the pretty girl that you're picking on me. What will you do then?" Linda taunted, sticking her tongue out at Sean before dashing off.As Sean watched Linda run away, his headache distracted him from his sour mood over Liliana's rejection.Bobby's surgery had gone really well. Afterward, Bobby and Yankel were taken to a room to rest. Bobby was just a kid, and the surgery had been a lot for him to handle. Liliana stayed right by his side, making sure he was okay.Next door to Bobby's room was Yankel's. Yankel often visited Bobby, and so did Xenia. Liliana could not help but notice that Xenia was pretty crafty. She did not like Bobby at all, but she sure knew how to act like she cared for him. She looked after Bobby so well that anyone who did not know better would think she was the sweetest person ever. However, Liliana knew better. She h
Sean nodded.Liliana's expression turned even more sour. "Even though this is your hospital, Mr. Smith, isn't it wrong for you to listen in on other people's conversations?"Sean's brow furrowed. "I didn't mean any harm, and you know it.""How would I know that?"As Liliana tried to leave, Sean reached out and caught her hand. "Liliana, you must realize that neither Yankel nor Xenia will just let things slide."Liliana scrunched her eyebrows. "And what about it?" She was not without means to handle them, even if Yankel would not back down."Did you ever stop to think about why Xenia is so set on having Bobby return?"Sean looked at her, causing Liliana to pause. "Maybe she's trying to win over Yankel?" she guessed. A scorned woman could do anything, much like Joanna had four years ago.With that thought, Liliana pulled her hand away. "But what's any of this got to do with you, Mr. Smith?"Sean's brow was deeply furrowed. "Liliana, you know I can help you with whatever you wa
In the end, it was Xenia who broke the silence. She looked directly at Liliana and said, "Ms. Hoffman, let's not beat about the bush. How much do you want in order to give up Bobby's custody to Yankel?"Liliana raised her eyebrows, clearly surprised by what Xenia said.Xenia felt uneasy under Liliana's gaze and frowned. "Ms. Hoffman?"Liliana snapped out of her thoughts. "Ms. Bennett, did you not investigate my background before coming here?""What do you mean by that?" Xenia's expression turned unpleasant.Liliana gave a small smile. "I mean, do you really think I'm short on money? Or do you think the Hoffmans can't afford to raise a child?"Xenia's expression shifted slightly at Liliana's words, her teeth sinking into her lower lip. "The Hoffmans…"Brookville's Hoffman family… How could Xenia not know about them? Even her own father had to show Charles some respect.Her father had once told her that if you wanted to survive in Brookville, there were two families you could not
"Liliana, I know the damage I caused is already done, and there's no way to take it back. I just wanted to say this while we're still young and while we still have time. I—" Sean continued."Enough!" Liliana's body trembled slightly. "It's too late, Sean. All of this is already too late."She took a deep breath, and her hands clenched into fists. Maybe it was because Bobby was beside her, but Liliana did not lose control of her emotions. Still, there were tears at the corners of her eyes.Tears gathered in her eyes, and soon, they slid silently down her cheeks. She gave a faint smile."Sean, when something's in the past, it's just that—the past. Regres no longer matter, and time doesn't go backward."You say you've loved me all along, but you didn't tell me. You didn't show it. If you had told me that four years ago, I never would've let your mother take me away. I never would've given Joanna the chance to hurt me."You ask about what could've been? I used to wonder that too. If
When Bobby heard that, his already soft and fair little face became even more adorable. His eyes sparkled with genuine delight."Yes, yes! Mr. Smith, you're so good-looking, and Mommy is beautiful too, so the baby you have together will definitely be beautiful!"Bobby squeezed his own chubby cheeks with his pudgy little hands, then propped his chin up with one hand and added proudly,"The baby will definitely be as good-looking as I am!""Yes, just as good-looking as you are, Bobby," Sean echoed with a smile in his eyes.He glanced at Liliana with a subtle look, only to find that though she was smiling, there was no warmth in her gaze—just coldness.Liliana held Bobby in her arms, her eyes fixed on Sean."Sorry about that. Bobby is still a child. He doesn't understand the meaning behind what he says. If he said anything that bothered you, I apologize on his behalf."With that, she turned and carried Bobby back into the hospital room.There was a fleeting shadow in Sean's eyes,
"Then Mommy, you and Mr. Smith should make me a little sister!"Bobby suddenly seemed to remember something. His big round eyes blinked rapidly while his chubby cheeks turned red. He looked unbearably cute."Mr. Smith?""Yeah, the man who wears white clothes every day! He comes to see me every day, tells me stories, and even plays games with me," he said, counting all the good things about the man in white on his little fingers.Liliana gently held Bobby's small hand. "Bobby, I can't.""Why not? But I really like Mr. Smith," Bobby pouted. He was still too young to understand adult relationships—he simply knew that the man in white treated him well, so naturally, he wanted him to be with his mommy."You don't even know who he is, and you want me to have a baby with him?" Liliana could not help but laugh at how adorable her son was. "Bobby, listen—only a husband and wife can get married and have a baby. Got it?"Bobby nodded, kind of understanding. "Then Mommy, you should marry Mr