Savannah did not spare Jasmine a single glance. Her eyes remained fixed coldly on Liliana.Liliana felt a headache coming on. She raised a hand to rub her temples but still said, "Jasmine, it's alright. This is Mr. Smith's mother."Jasmine quickly said, "Ma'am, please have a seat. Mr. Smith isn't here today.""I know," Savannah replied, her gaze never leaving Liliana. "Liliana, you should know why I'm here today, don't you?"Liliana nodded, then looked at Jasmine. "Jasmine, please leave us. I have something to discuss with Mrs. Smith."Jasmine hesitated and glanced at her with concern, but Liliana nodded again. "Go on."Only then did Jasmine reluctantly leave.Once Jasmine was gone, Liliana met Savannah's eyes. "What brings you here today, Mrs. Smith?""Liliana, I thought I made myself very clear last time. And what did you tell me then? You said the child you're carrying isn't Sean's." Savannah's tone was sharp as she glared at her.She had merely disliked Liliana before, but
As soon as Savannah finished speaking, a group of men in black flooded into the room.Liliana stared at Savannah in disbelief, unable to comprehend how the usually gentle and graceful woman could be so heartless."You're insane! The child is innocent! I will never abort this baby—never!"Liliana turned to run, but the people Savannah brought were all top-tier bodyguards. She was just a fragile woman, and worse, a pregnant one. How could she stand a chance against them?In no time, the men surrounded her.Liliana looked at Savannah in despair. "Mrs. Smith, I'm begging you… The child is innocent. This is Sean's child, your grandchild. You may hate me, but the baby did nothing wrong.""Innocent?" Savannah scoffed. "A woman like you dares to speak of innocence?"She clearly did not want to hear another word from Liliana. "You're full of lies. Even if you give birth to this child, the Smith family will never acknowledge it. Sean has better choices. You think that just because you hav
"Joanna, you—""Mrs. Smith, you can't be the one to do this or Sean will blame you," Joanna said as she placed her hand gently over Savannah's. "Please, let me handle it. I'm a doctor. I know how to do this without hurting her."A flicker of hesitation passed through Savannah's eyes. "This…""We can't take her to a major hospital. If Sean or someone from the Hoffmans finds out, it'll be bad for him and worse for the Smith family," Joanna continued.That point was true enough. Savannah nodded. "You're right."Although Liliana was not favored by the Hoffmans, she was still one of them. Charles, being ruthless and cunning, would not let it slide if he discovered the Smith family was involved. He might not even spare them for Sean's sake."Mrs. Smith, please don't hesitate. Let me take care of this. You should go back," Joanna urged."Alright then."Savannah nodded. "I'll head home first. As for Liliana...""Don't worry. I'll only take her to a small clinic. And I'm a doctor. I wo
"Liliana, don't blame me for this. Blame yourself for being born unlucky and still daring to covet things that don't belong to you," Joanna said, her face twisting into something terrifying. "Sean is mine. He's mine."A bloody gash appeared across Liliana's cheek as Joanna dragged the scalpel down her face. Blood streamed down, soaking her skin.Liliana screamed in pain, and Joanna laughed. Then, with brutal force, she plunged the scalpel into Liliana's shoulder blade."Does it hurt? Good. It's meant to hurt," Joanna sneered. "I won't be giving you anesthesia. I want you to stay awake. I want you to watch with your own eyes as I take that baby out of you.""Joanna, you wouldn't dare! You lunatic! You'll burn in hell!"Joanna yanked the scalpel out and pressed her thumb hard into the open wound, causing Liliana to nearly pass out from the pain."Joanna, you won't die a good death," Liliana gasped, barely conscious.Joanna laughed maniacally. "Die? You'll be the one to die today."
What gave Liliana the right? She was nothing more than an illegitimate daughter, so how could she deserve Sean's affection?The cold surgical instruments stirred inside Liliana's womb. Her entire body convulsed from the pain, but Joanna looked on with sheer satisfaction.Finally, when the child inside Liliana had turned into nothing but a pool of blood, Joanna's gaze turned chilling as she stared at her. "Ha! Liliana, now that the baby's gone, do you think Sean will still marry you?""You lunatic...! I won't let you get away with this. I won't ever let you go."Joanna, still holding the scalpel, slashed another cut across Liliana's face. "I won't let you die that easily. I'll take your child, then destroy your face. Look at yourself. Go on, take a look!"She pulled out a mirror from God knew where and held it up in front of Liliana.Liliana, already in despair, showed no reaction upon seeing the bloodied mess that was her face. The pain in her abdomen was so overwhelming that she
Liliana did not know how long she had been lying on the ground. Just when she thought she was going to die there, a voice suddenly reached her ears. It was so close, yet it felt so far away."Liliana, Liliana!"Sean had felt uneasy all day during his business trip, as if something bad was about to happen. He could not shake the feeling off. However, being away, he had no way of knowing what was going on.When Jasmine called to tell him that Savannah had taken Liliana away, the unease in his chest surged uncontrollably.He had always known Savannah disliked Liliana, but he never expected her to actually take her away.There was no time to catch a flight. Sean drove straight back, speeding for over five hours to return to Brookville. The moment he arrived, he went home to confront Savannah.When he questioned her, he learned that she had handed Liliana over to Joanna. Savannah had reassured him repeatedly, claiming that Joanna was just going to help with the abortion and that, as a
"Sean… promise me… Take revenge for me." Liliana shakily reached out, but before her hand could even touch Sean's face, it dropped lifelessly to the ground."Liliana… Liliana!" Sean shouted like a possessed man. He scooped her into his arms and rushed to the car.In the car, Peter saw the state Liliana was in and froze in shock. "Sean…""Drive. Go to the hospital. Right now! The hospital!" Sean's voice trembled with fear.He was terrified. For the first time, he was truly terrified.Everything Liliana said moments ago echoed in his mind. The look in her eyes, the lifelessness of her body… She was slipping away from him.Sean could not imagine it. If Liliana really left him—if she truly died—what would he do?His entire body trembled as he held her cold, stiff form tightly in his arms. "Liliana… I won't let anything happen to you. I swear, I won't."Peter stepped on the gas. The car roared through the rain. He glanced at the two people in the backseat and quietly shook his head.
"Liliana, you have to get better. When you do, you can do whatever you want, Liliana…"Just then, the door to the hospital room flew open, and a powerful punch landed squarely on Sean's face.He staggered back a step. When the next punch came swinging toward him, Sean caught it in mid-air. "Liliana is sleeping. If you want to hit me, do it outside."Charles lowered his fist, but the fury in his eyes was sharper than ever. "If anything happens to Liliana, don't blame me for forgetting our brotherhood."Sean nodded. "I understand."He had always known what Charles was capable of. "This was my fault. I'll fix it and give you an answer you'll be satisfied with.""Oh yeah?" Charles sneered coldly. "What about Savannah?"Sean's head snapped up. "Charles, she's my mother. If you want revenge, come at me. Kill me, torture me—whatever you want."Charles curled his lips. "You think I won't?""I know you will," Sean said.He turned to look at Liliana lying in the bed. She had not woken
"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