Sean let out a chuckle. "There's no need to be so afraid of me, Mrs. Langford. After all, you used to call me Sean, too. Don't worry. If anyone gives you trouble in the future, just come to me."Layla shrank back in fear, and Jordan frowned. "Mr. Smith, if there's nothing else, I'll take Layla and leave now.""Oh, of course. You can go," Sean replied casually, though his eyes lingered on Layla. Layla immediately tensed up, sensing his gaze.With a playful smile, Sean glanced from Layla's face to her stomach, then back to her face. "Mrs. Langford, you don't seem to be in good health. How about a free check-up at my hospital?""No need!" Layla quickly refused.Her hasty refusal only made her behavior seem more suspicious. Jordan also found Layla's reaction odd, but considering the injuries she had sustained over the past few days, he assumed she was simply afraid of Sean. "It's fine, Mr. Smith. I'll take care of my wife's injuries myself.""Alright then... Take care," Sean said.
"Yeah. He was supposed to arrive a few days ago, but there were some issues on his end that delayed him. His flight lands tomorrow. Do you want to go pick him up?" Charles squatted down beside Noelle to help her organize the papers.Noelle paused for a moment. "Sure, why not? I had someone clean the place where Mr. Click will be staying a few days ago. Since you said he's arriving tomorrow, I should probably have someone clean it again today."Charles nodded. "I've already arranged for it to be cleaned again.""Charlie…" Noelle sighed as she patted Charles on the shoulder. "You know, you think of everything and handle it all. What's left for me to do?""Silly girl!" Charles could not resist pinching Noelle's nose as she acted all serious. "You're like a little old soul in a young body!""Ow, stop pinching my nose! It's going to get deformed!" She added with a playful tone, "Luckily, my nose is natural. If it had been a fake one, it would've collapsed by now! No more pinching my no
The next day, Noelle worked for half the day before heading to the airport to pick up George. Since Charles was caught up with some last-minute work, Noelle dragged Arya along to help her welcome George. After getting him settled in, Noelle was planning to head back to the office with Arya when Charles called her. "Head to the airport again and pick someone up for me.""The airport? Right now?" Noelle exclaimed in surprise. "I've already picked up Mr. Click. Who else is coming?""Tania!"The moment Charles said that, Noelle nearly slammed on the gas pedal. She thought she must have misheard him. "Did you just say Tania? Tania's coming back? She's… already…"Noelle had assumed it would take some time; she had not expected it to happen so quickly."Yeah, the people in Carvonia said her flight left yesterday. It should be landing in about two hours. I'm tied up here, so I need you to go."Charles had just received the notice himself, but he could not leave his work, so he called N
Peter narrowed his eyes, and the cold air around him made Noelle shiver involuntarily. She gulped nervously, feeling somewhat helpless. "Peter, you still care about Tania, don't you? You've waited for her for three years. Why risk messing up this moment?"Noelle could see clearly that Peter had deep feelings for Tania. Otherwise, he would not have waited for her for so long.Peter remained silent, and Noelle felt too awkward to continue speaking. The two stood by the gate, waiting.To ease the awkwardness, Noelle pulled out her phone and sent Charles a crying emoji, typing: [Peter has some serious connections!]Almost as soon as Noelle sent the message, Charles gave a simple reply, indicating that he was busy. Noelle responded: [Alright, you go ahead and busy yourself, then. I'm at the airport with Peter!]Peter glanced down at her. "Reporting to Charles?"Noelle jolted as if caught red-handed. She awkwardly tugged at her lips into a smile. "I didn't mean anything by it!""M
"Peter!" Noelle had not expected things to escalate like this, nor had she anticipated that Tania had a son—an adorable little boy.Seeing the tension between Peter and Tania, Noelle quickly intervened, "Aren't we here to pick up Tania?"Peter snapped out of it, loosening his grip slightly. "Yes, we're here to pick her up."Tania frowned. Her gaze shifted to Noelle, her eyes full of scrutiny. She tightened her hold on Brandon.She had not expected that after three years apart, she would meet Peter under these circumstances—and worse, he now had someone new by his side. It was clear he treated this woman differently from others.Noelle smiled awkwardly. "You're Tania, right? Hi, I'm Noelle Shaw, I'm—""There's no need," Tania interrupted, her voice cold. "I'm not interested in knowing who you are. Besides, I didn't come back to see any of you."She set Brandon down. "Brandon, let's go meet your grandparents."Noelle had not expected such a response from Tania and could sense a b
Brandon was frightened by Peter's overwhelming presence and shrank into Tania's arms. "Mommy!""Brandon, it's okay. Don't be scared." Tania patted his back, then looked up coldly at Peter. "Mr. Lennon, if death is the only way to sever ties with you, then go ahead and die."Her eyes were completely devoid of emotion. She turned to Noelle and said, "Ms. Shaw, could you please take me to the hospital to see my parents first? Then, I'll go back to Phoenix Tree Residence.""Alright, my car is just outside. Let's go," Noelle shot Peter a glance, silently urging him not to cause trouble.She then helped Tania with her luggage and led the way. "You carry Brandon, and I'll take the luggage. My car is just out front.""Thank you, Ms. Shaw." Now that Tania knew Noelle was Charles' wife, her attitude softened considerably, though she still eyed Noelle with some suspicion.Noelle loaded Tania's luggage into the trunk and opened the backseat door for her. "I'm sorry my car is a bit small. I d
Tania's face turned slightly pale, and she lowered her head. "Don't mention Peter to me…""And this child…" Noelle glanced at the sleeping Brandon in Tania's arms. "His father—""He's not Peter's!" Tania quickly cut her off. "I got married in Carvonia."Noelle was taken aback, and her grip on the steering wheel nearly slipped. She glanced at Tania with a conflicted expression, finding it hard to comprehend. "But you and Peter…""It ended between us three years ago," Tania replied, clearly not wanting to discuss Peter anymore. Noelle, sensing the tension, wisely did not push further.When they arrived at Sean's hospital, Tania carefully got out of the car while carrying Brandon. Seeing how exhausted Tania looked, Noelle offered, "Let me carry him. You've been carrying him the entire way.""No…" Tania began to refuse, but before she could finish, a pair of strong hands lifted Brandon from her arms."Peter, what are you doing?" Tania exclaimed in shock when she saw it was him. "Giv
Peter knew he should be furious. Tania had been gone for three years and seven months, and now, her child was already this big.It was clear that she got married and had a child right after leaving Brookville. Despite his anger, the moment he saw Tania, all those feelings evaporated—especially as he carried the child she had with another man.Strangely, he felt his heart racing.'Peter, do you have a self-destructive streak?' he silently mocked himself. However, when he looked down at Brandon's innocent, sleeping face, all the resentment in him seemed to fade away.Tania had been watching Peter carrying Brandon the entire time, and the expression on her face grew increasingly tense."Tania?" Noelle noticed that something was off with Tania's emotions.Following her gaze to Peter, who was cradling Brandon so carefully, and seeing the look on Tania's face, Noelle said, "Don't worry. He won't harm Brandon. I haven't known Peter for very long, but I can tell that he has never stopped
Liliana's piercing scream echoed through the empty underground parking lot. However, there was no one to hear her and no one to witness what was happening to her at that moment. No one knew that this was the beginning of her personal hell.Her voice broke as she gasped for air, her hands desperately pounding against Sean's back as she tried to push him away. However, he only held her tighter.Her fragile body was trapped beneath him, moving in rhythm with his relentless force. She had no idea when it would end.Sean, lost in his own haze, was consumed by the warmth surrounding him. The way her body clenched around him only drove him further into his intoxicated madness. It was not until Liliana's voice had gone completely hoarse that he finally reached his release.Liliana blacked out from exhaustion, and eventually, Sean, too, drifted into a deep sleep while still holding onto her.The night had descended upon her so suddenly, like a storm Liliana never saw coming.When Liliana
The distance was not far, but dragging Sean along had drained nearly all of Liliana's strength. She panted, struggling to keep him upright. "Sean, where are we supposed to go now?"The only response she got was a muffled groan. His body temperature seemed to be rising by the second.Liliana, already struggling under his weight, instinctively reached out and touched his face, only to find it scorching hot. Panic gripped her."Sean!"With no other options, she half-carried, half-dragged him toward the parking lot and finally located his car. Summoning every ounce of strength, she managed to haul him inside, planning to let him sleep it off until he sobered up.After securing him in the seat, she grabbed a bottle of water and began wiping his face. Just as she was about to relax, Sean, who had been completely still moments ago, suddenly stirred.He half-opened his eyes, his gaze locking on Liliana's face. Under the dim car light, her features appeared softer, more delicate.Then, o
"No, we can't stay. Let's go separately. I'll walk you to the entrance!"Liliana told Tania that her family had forbidden her from coming to places like this. She hailed a cab and sent Tania off first.She returned alone, but she had no idea which private room Sean was in. She only knew it was somewhere on the third floor, but the exact location was a mystery.As she anxiously searched for him, she spotted one of Sean's friends coming down the stairs with Joanna following closely behind.At the staircase, Joanna stopped to bid farewell. "Thank you, dude… I…""Go on! Good luck!"The man glanced at Joanna before brushing past Liliana and leaving.Liliana watched Joanna's retreating figure, then saw her head back upstairs. She followed her without hesitation.The server must have assumed she was with Joanna because he did not stop her.Liliana saw Joanna enter a private room, where only Sean and Joanna remained. The others were nowhere to be seen.Peering through the gap in the
"Huh? I'm not outside right now!" Liliana quickly covered the phone's mouthpiece. "I mean... I'm at a classmate's house. Is there something you need, Sean?"She asked the question while glancing nervously around. Spotting Tania trying to slip away, she hurried over to grab her."Tania...""Liliana, I still want more to drink!""Where are you?" Sean's voice came through, and another girl's voice was in the background. "Are you guys drinking?""I...""Do you realize you're not old enough to drink? And it's so late now. You should be at home, not out drinking!" Sean sounded serious, and Liliana almost lost her cool. "No, Sean, I...""Where are you? I'm coming to get you!"Liliana quickly shook her head, even though Sean could not see. "There’s no need for that, Sean. I'm just at a friend's house. She's... She's having a birthday party, and I...""Another birthday party? Didn't she just have one?" Sean remembered clearly. "Tell me where you are.""I... Sean, I've got to go. I can
Sean was only in his second year of college, but he had already finished all his courses and was even starting clinical trials.That was pretty rare at Vista University, and even the colleges in Capiton wished Sean would join them. However, as talented as Sean was, he did not rush through his education. He took everything one step at a time.Many people did not know that Sean was not just thinking about where to do his hospital residency. He had his eye on a hospital he wanted to buy.Joanna was studying medicine too and was a year behind Sean. She was smart and pretty, which made her popular with teachers and students. She got along great with the older students.She had watched a clinical trial with some seniors and got to know them better, especially Sean.Sean might not have noticed, but almost everyone at the college knew Joanna liked him.Today, she was the secret organizer of a get-together that was supposed to be for the seniors, but she made sure Sean was invited.Every
Tania's ruckus drew the attention of several onlookers.Worried about bumping into someone they knew, Liliana quickly ushered Tania away. They had barely made it to the staircase when a melodious voice floated in from behind, "Sean, we owe our fun at The Majestic Lounge to your popularity!""There's no need for that!"Liliana froze, steadying Tania with one hand and leaning on the wall with the other, using Tania's body as a shield. That was when she spotted Sean with an elegant-looking girl in a pale pink dress.They appeared quite close, the girl chatting away and gazing at Sean.Sean was leaning in, listening intently to her words.A few guys were trailing behind them, and upon hearing the girl, they joked, "Hey Joanna, why are you just thanking Sean? What about us?"Liliana's heart raced as Sean and his companions neared. As Sean approached, she quickly grabbed Tania's hand, using it to hide her face.Liliana’s sharp tug gave Tania a twinge of pain. She began to grumble, "L
Liliana got ready. She was excited as she headed out. She had not seen Tania, who looked tanned from the sun and was full of energy, in a month.Tania waved to Liliana from far away. "Liliana, over here!"I'm going to take you to a cool place today!""Where?"Tania pulled Liliana close and whispered, "We're going to a bar!""A bar?" Liliana was curious. "What for?"Tania giggled. "A friend gave me this.” She showed off a shiny gold card. "He said it's time for me to see more of the world!"Liliana grabbed the shiny gold card, and her eyes widened in shock. "The Majestic Lounge?" She stared at Tania, puzzled. "How did you get this?"Not just anyone could get their hands on a gold card from The Majestic Lounge. Most people would not know anything about the place, but as Charles's sister, Liliana was in the know. The Majestic Lounge was one of Charles's private businesses and a secret to most outside the family. Layla had a gold card and often hung out there with her friends.Lil
Charles was unusually quiet for a moment, his finger pressed to his lips as if deep in thought. "Are you really ready to walk away from the Smith family's huge estate? You know your dad is the only one holding it up right now, and no one even knows where your fourth uncle is!""Why are you so worried about me? Don't forget I have a brother. If the Jones family won't make room for him, he can just join the Smith family!"While everyone else was trying to claim their piece of the pie, Sean was looking for a way out.Charles knew that once Sean made up his mind, he would not budge. "Alright, I'll look into it for you. Once you're sure, I'll help you seal the deal!""You take care of it," Sean said after a pause. "Aren't you going to check out the commotion downstairs?"Charles glanced down, pulling back his gaze. "Her feelings for you...""Let's not go there. I can't handle that," Sean interrupted, thinking about Layla's haughty behavior earlier and her rudeness toward Liliana. His
Liliana's brow creased slightly. She could not figure out why Layla always seemed to pick fights with her, even though she tried to stay out of Layla's way.Layla stared at Liliana with a sharp gaze. Noticing Liliana's hands were empty, she knew there was no gift for her. That was why Layla was giving Liliana a hard time.Everyone was watching Liliana, and Layla was eager to see how she would handle the situation."Is today your birthday?"Liliana felt awkward with all eyes on her. She glanced at Sean and saw he was not going to step in. She took a deep breath and said, "I'm sorry, I didn't know. You never told me, so I thought your birthday was a few days away!""You..." Layla was taken aback by Liliana's response. She scowled. "Didn't you come back just today before leaving again? I thought you were getting me a birthday present!" Layla bit her lip, looking sad. "You and Sean...""It was just a coincidence. Sean said he needed to talk to Charles, and I didn't realize it was for