Gilbert clenched his fist. "Halsey, are you under Dwight's spell or something?""That's none of your business!" Halsey snapped. Gilbert placed his hands on his hips and let out an angry scoff. "Fine! Then what I do is none of your business, either. I'm going to find Dwight right now."With that, Gilbert turned and started walking toward Dwight.Halsey's face changed, and she immediately reached out to grab Gilbert. "What are you doing? People are working! You have no right to disturb them!"At that moment, the construction foreman rushed over, panting. He bowed to Gilbert and said, "Mr. Gilbert, what a surprise! It's so messy and dirty here. You'll ruin your clothes. Are you here to inspect the site today?"Halsey froze.Gilbert turned to Halsey with a sly smile. "Oh, I forgot to tell you. This is one of my family's properties, and I oversee this construction site. It's no surprise I'm here for a site inspection."Halsey almost forgot that the Greenwood family was in real esta
Halsey rushed to Dwight's side, trying to stop the game. "Dwight, don't go along with Gilbert's game. This could hurt your body. If you really need money, I can—"Dwight glanced at her, and Halsey immediately fell silent.She hadn't meant to say that—it was just that she didn't want him to hurt himself for the sake of money.Dwight looked at the foreman. "We can start now."The foreman began loading cement bags onto Dwight's shoulders, one by one, quickly reaching eight bags. Then, the foreman added a ninth and a tenth bag.Gilbert watched eagerly, clapping his hands. "Wow! I didn't expect you to push yourself so hard for money. Here's one, two..."Gilbert tossed two hundred dollars onto the ground.The foreman continued stacking bags—eleven, twelve."Three, four hundred..."Gilbert kept tossing money onto the ground.With twelve bags now on Dwight's shoulders, his face remained expressionless, but the sweat on his forehead dripped relentlessly, and his uniform was soaked thr
Halsey was about to chase after Dwight.However, Gilbert grabbed her arm. "What are you going after him for? You're not going anywhere!"Halsey forcefully pulled away from him. "You have no right to control me!"Without another word, she quickly ran after Dwight while Gilbert clenched his fists in frustration.Halsey followed Dwight to a small hospital. Tina was lying on a hospital bed, still unconscious.Madeline stood by her side, crying nonstop, her face pale with fear. The neighbor, an older woman, was trying to comfort Madeline."Maddy!" Dwight cried when he arrived."Dwight!" Madeline's thin body collapsed into Dwight's arms, sobbing uncontrollably. "Please check on Mom! She won't wake up no matter how much we call her…"Dwight gently patted Madeline's back to comfort her before turning to look at Tina, lying motionless on the bed. "Mom!"Yet, Tina didn't respond.The neighbor, Penelope Hart, spoke up, "Dwight, you two need to hurry and take her to a bigger hospital. Th
Halsey smiled, her lips curving up as she replied to Tina, "I didn't want to disturb you, so I usually just meet Dwight at school."Tina chuckled softly, clearly pleased.At that moment, Anthony arrived, and Halsey stepped outside.In the director's office, Anthony handed Halsey the medical report. "Ms. Lincoln, the patient's test results are in."Halsey looked at him expectantly. "How did it turn out?"Anthony shook his head. "The patient is in the late stages of cancer."What?!Halsey froze. "Late stages of cancer? Are you sure? Mrs. Garner has always been so healthy.""I'm certain," Anthony replied. "She likely had cancer for several years. She was aware of it but never sought treatment, nor did she tell anyone. The cancer has spread to her heart and brain. She has about two months left."Halsey slumped into the chair, stunned. She couldn't believe it—only two months left for Tina.Why hadn't she said anything when she was diagnosed? Why hadn't she sought treatment?And D
Penelope chuckled and tapped Madeline on the forehead. "Your brother loves you so much. He made sure you got into the best middle school. I'm sure he won't let you turn into an old spinster and stay with him forever."Madeline giggled, her smile wide.Just then, Halsey entered the room.Madeline brightened at the sight of her. "Halsey!"Penelope stood up. "Did you get the test results?"Halsey's fair eyes were red around the edges, and she nodded. "Yes, I have them."Madeline's expression shifted to concern. "What's wrong with Mom? Is she really sick?"Halsey looked over at Tina, still lying on the bed, but she didn't say anything.Penelope sensed the tension and immediately said, "Maddy, why don't you come outside with me for a minute? I need to talk to you."Madeline, trusting her, agreed without hesitation. "Okay."Penelope guided Madeline out of the room.Now, the room was quiet, with only Halsey and Tina remaining. Halsey took a seat beside the bed, her eyes focused o
"I feel like God heard my prayers," Tina murmured, her voice soft and wistful. "Four years have passed in the blink of an eye, and Dwight has grown up. I know my time is running out. How much longer did the doctor say I have?"Halsey's beautiful almond-shaped eyes misted over with unshed tears. "He said you have about two months left."Tina whispered, almost to herself, "Two months… That's not a lot of time."Halsey immediately gripped Tina's hand tighter. "Don't worry, Mrs. Garner. I've arranged for Dr. Willis to give you the best treatment. We'll fight for more time."Tina turned toward Halsey. "Halsey, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't even be here. We owe you a debt of gratitude. Our family may be poor, but we don't like owing anyone anything. I'll leave the hospital today, and you won't have to trouble yourself with me anymore.""Mrs. Garner..." Halsey began, but she knew there was no convincing Tina. Just like Dwight, Tina had her pride. Halsey didn't press the matter, but
Halsey felt a warm sensation at the tip of her nose. She reached up to touch it and realized she was bleeding again."Ah, I'm bleeding again!"Dwight immediately reached for a tissue and shoved it into her nose. "Tilt your head back."Halsey did as told, raising her head. "Why is it that whenever I'm around you, I always get nosebleeds?"Dwight glanced at her. "You're good to go."Halsey looked at him, confused. "Why didn't you answer me?"What could he have said?Without a word, Dwight turned to leave.He was starting to ignore her again.Halsey blocked his way, handing him the ointment. "Here, this is for you.""What's this?"Halsey pointed to his shoulder, which was visibly red. "You carried so many cement bags today, so I'm sure your shoulder is sore. If you apply this medicine once in the morning and once at night, you won't feel any more pain."Dwight gave her a quick look but didn't respond.Halsey persisted, "Take it."Dwight reached for the ointment, but instead
Dwight's lips were cold, and the sensation of the kiss felt unexpectedly nice. Halsey, though inexperienced, had seen people kiss before, but she hadn't realized how pleasant it could feel.Dwight stayed rigid, not moving. He didn't close his eyes, and he noticed that neither did she. Her large, beautiful eyes were full of innocence and curiosity. When young boys and girls reached a certain age, they naturally became curious and eager to explore and experience intimacy with someone they had feelings for—it was something innocent and bold at the same time.Halsey's soft, red lips were pressed against his, and soon, she sucked his bottom lip.A wave of heat surged through Dwight, starting from his sensitive lower back and spreading out, leaving him with a tingling, almost dizzying sensation that made his eyes bloodshot.Now, with Halsey's arms wrapped around his neck, their bodies were pressed together, and it didn't take long for her to notice something different in his body.S
Wendy knew Stanley would never approve of Halsey getting involved with Dwight.Wendy raised an eyebrow, clearly irritated. "Mr. Hawk, you're really overstepping. What does Halsey's business have to do with you?"Stanley shot her a sharp look. "Had enough fun? If you're done, I'll take you home."With that, Stanley grabbed Wendy's slender arm and started pulling her away.Cecelia called out from behind, "Wendy! Mr. Hawk!"-Dwight had gone backstage to change. He didn't come to this place often, but he had to admit—it was incredibly profitable.He had pulled off his torn white tank top and was about to slip into a black hoodie when the door behind him suddenly opened. Dwight's piercing gaze darted to the intruder. "Who's there?"Halsey, having followed him in, was startled to find Dwight standing there topless.Her pale face flushed bright red, and she immediately covered her face with both hands, letting out a small gasp.Dwight quickly pulled the hoodie over his head, grabb
Dwight and Halsey locked eyes.Dwight's face was hidden behind a mask, making it hard to read his expression. But his gaze was as cold as ever, staring at Halsey like she was just another stranger.The host laughed. "Ladies, calm down! Here's what we'll do. Only one person can come up and touch our star dancer. We'll decide by a bidding war. The highest bid wins."Immediately, the rich women around them started shouting out offers. "I'll pay a thousand!""Three thousand!""Five thousand!""Ten thousand!"The price quickly climbed to ten thousand, and Cecelia was stunned. "Ten thousand just to touch him? Is his six-pack made of gold or something? Are these women out of their minds?"At that moment, Halsey raised her hand. "I'll bid twenty thousand!"Halsey had bid twenty thousand.Wendy and Cecelia turned to look at her, surprised. Cecelia subtly tugged at Halsey's sleeve. "Halsey, why are you jumping into this?"Halsey, her almond-shaped eyes still focused on Dwight on st
Wendy, Cecelia, and Halsey stopped in their tracks. Cecelia said, "This restaurant's bar is really famous. I've heard there's a main attraction here who draws in all the rich women. They say when he does his striptease, the tips just keep coming."Halsey nodded. "I've heard that too. Apparently, all the waiters here are shirtless muscular guys with abs. Let's go in and see for ourselves."Wendy had no objections. "Alright, let's go in."The three of them squeezed into the bar, which was already packed. Everyone was gathered around the stage.On the stage, several handsome men were dancing while the music blared. The crowd was chanting, "Take it off, take it off, take it off!" as the men started to strip.The man in the center was the headliner of the bar. He wore a black tank top and black pants, and his face was hidden behind a cold, emotionless mask.Cecelia raised her eyebrows. "Is that him? The main guy? Wow, he's even better than I expected! That body is incredible."Wendy
Wendy watched the scene unfold before her. The woman in Stanley's arms was gazing up at him with deep affection, while he lowered his gaze in return. It was clear he was enjoying the attention he was getting.Wendy quickly averted her eyes. "Alright, enough of that. Mr. Hawk and I aren't together. Since Jessica hasn't said anything about this, I have nothing to say either. Let's go."With that, Wendy turned and left with Cecelia and Halsey.Wendy entered the restroom, while Cecelia and Halsey waited outside. "Stanley doesn't deserve Wendy," Cecelia said. Halsey suddenly had an idea. "Wait, I've got it."Halsey pulled out her phone, found a picture of Wendy, and posted it to her social media with the caption, [Single lady urgently seeking a boyfriend.]After hitting send, Halsey winked mischievously. "Mr. Hawk has a beautiful woman in his arms, so let's find Wendy a boyfriend online. When he sees this, his reaction will be priceless."Cecelia immediately gave Halsey a thumbs up
Wendy, Halsey, and Cecelia raised their glasses.At that moment, the door to the restaurant swung open, and a group of people entered. Leading the pack was a tall, handsome figure—Stanley.Stanley had come to the restaurant, but not for a casual meal. He was here for business, accompanied by several senior executives.The restaurant manager greeted him warmly. "Mr. Hawk, the private room is ready. Please follow me."Stanley followed the manager toward the private room, but as he did, his eyes scanned the crowd and immediately locked onto Wendy, who looked as graceful as ever. Wendy, along with Cecelia and Halsey, had come out to eat. They were deep in conversation, laughing and toasting, clearly in high spirits.The executives behind Stanley noticed where he was looking. "Mr. Hawk, do you know those three ladies? They look so young, like schoolgirls."The executives were intrigued by Stanley's attention to the women, since he was rumored not to be interested in them.His face r
Cecelia's questions caught Wendy off guard. Honestly, she hadn't fully decided what to do about the baby yet.She placed her small hand gently on her flat stomach, feeling the weight of the decision. The thought of aborting the baby was unbearable. This wasn't just Stanley's child—it was hers too. If Stanley didn't want the baby, did that mean she shouldn't want it either?Cecelia broke the silence. "Wendy, if you want to keep the baby, then go ahead. With our financial situation, we're not exactly struggling. A lot of women are opting to be single mothers now. And honestly, if Mr. Hawk doesn't want the child, that's even better. We can just kick him out of the picture and raise the baby ourselves. I'll be the godmother!"Halsey nodded in agreement. Even though Stanley was her cousin, Wendy had made it clear that she didn't want him to know about the pregnancy. Halsey respected that and fully supported whatever decision Wendy made. Wendy always took the time to think things thr
Stanley looked at Jessica. "You already know about the heart match?"Jessica didn't hesitate to admit it. "Yeah! Wendy's heart is a perfect match for mine. Why didn't you tell me?"Stanley countered, "If I told you, then what?"Jessica answered as if it were obvious. "Then you should figure out a way for Wendy to save me."Stanley fell silent.Jessica's voice grew more urgent. "Don't you want to save me? Are you really going to hesitate between me and Wendy? Are you in love with her? Is that why you're hesitating?"Stanley looked at Jessica, his expression firm. "You can't take Wendy's heart."Jessica's face turned pale.He actually said that she couldn't take Wendy's heart."So, what do I do now? Are you going to give up on me? Have you forgotten your promise to me? First, you've been hot and cold with me, and now you won't even try to save my life?"Stanley's voice was low, almost resigned. "I've already sent people out to search for alternatives. You can't take her heart, b
Wendy called Stanley out, saying she needed to talk to him privately.Jessica immediately made a fuss, grabbing onto Stanley's muscular arm. "If you have something to say, just say it here!"She wasn't letting Stanley go.Wendy looked between the two of them. Now that she was pregnant, why should she bear this burden alone? She couldn't let Stanley and Jessica continue their little moment. No, she had to tell Stanley what was going on.Wendy said firmly, "Jessica, this is none of your business. I can only talk to him about it. Mr. Hawk, I'll be waiting for you outside."With that, Wendy walked out.Jessica pulled at Stanley's arm. "Stanley, you're not going anywhere."Stanley pulled his arm away gently. "I'll just be a minute."He turned and walked out."Stanley!" Jessica shouted after him, her voice filled with frustration.-Stanley stepped into the hallway, where Wendy was waiting for him.He walked toward her. "You wanted to talk?"Wendy looked at him, her expression se
Wendy sat on the couch for a long time, lost in thought. Finally, she stood up and headed for the hospital. She needed to think about the situation with the baby, but for now, she had to meet Jessica.Half an hour later, Wendy arrived at Jessica's VIP ward and saw her lying on the bed.Jessica smiled, her lips curving up. "Hey, Wendy. You got here pretty fast."Wendy glanced at Jessica's pale face. "Your heart is getting worse. If you faint again next time, it could be life-threatening. So, I figured I should visit. Who knows? It might be the last time."Jessica was silent, feeling the sting of Wendy's words.She finally realized why her heart condition had worsened—Wendy had to be the one causing it.Jessica took a deep breath to steady her emotions. "You don't have to worry about that. Stanley already found a heart that matches mine. He'll save me."Wendy raised an eyebrow. "So what if he found it? Does the person even agree to save you? Without his or her consent, it'd be