'Why isn't father's name in here?'As Madelyn flipped through the pages, the diary's tone shifted. It started out cheerful but soon turned somber, leaving her feeling heavy-hearted. The diary mostly recounted events from Silverbrook.Growing up, her mother had been the cherished daughter of a wealthy family. Her grandfather led a major business group, while her father was his right-hand man. The family was quite well-known in their town. Agustin was an orphan boy that her great-grandfather had rescued from a battlefield. He joined the Wood family when he was six. Growing up, Madelyn's mother, being a few years older, taught him to read and write. The two shared a bond tighter than most friends. It seemed her great-grandfather had hopes of Agustin marrying her mother to make him an official Wood. However, some diary entries were illegible, leaving Madelyn with lingering questions.At sixteen, her mother met the well-known military leader, Erick Blinken. By twenty-six, Erick was a res
At dinner, Zach noticed Madelyn was lost in thought. He added some mashed potatoes to her plate. "What's on your mind?" he asked."Nothing," Madelyn said, fidgeting with her fork.Zach just watched her, not pressing further. After dinner, the two shared a close moment in the bathroom. When they came out, Zach was supporting a tired Madelyn. He wore a dark robe, loosely tied, revealing a bit of his toned chest. He helped Madelyn into bed, making sure she was comfy in her pajamas. After giving her a gentle kiss on the forehead, he headed to the study.In the dimly lit study, Zach stood by the large window. His reflection showed piercing eyes that had a mysterious aura about them. The phone rang, and he answered."Mr. Jardin," the voice on the other end said, "Everything's been done as you asked. Tomorrow, Ms. Young will be on the plane with him."Before the voice finished speaking, Dalton's cry interrupted it. Zach quickly hung up and looked toward the door. Outside, he found Madely
Having baby Dalton around was becoming a challenge for Madelyn. While Zach could easily tune him out, Madelyn felt a strong pull toward the child. She took Dalton for a stroll in the backyard, patting his back and hoping he would drift off to sleep. After their walk, she settled him on the couch. As she did, Dalton nestled against her, gazing up at her. Yet, the moment she met his gaze, he playfully pretended to be asleep.Madelyn gazed into the distance, lost in thought. 'What mysteries lay within the torn pages of Mom's diary, and what stories did those stained sections hold? When she was around sixteen or seventeen, Mom was with Erick. If I'm their child, then why does Kai hold so much resentment toward me? Perhaps he thinks I'm Hayson's daughter. But he read the diary; he knows its contents. What's he hiding from me?'At Portsmouth Fishing Village, in a small, smelly room, Kai stood under a flickering bulb, eyes locked on a woman on the bed who seemed really sick."Who are Madel
There is a universal truth no one can escape from: every action has its consequences. Zach would find that out soon, and Madelyn was waiting for that day.Rosario's closest friend was Margaret. After Rosario's unexpected passing, which the police believed was an accident, Margaret took care of all the arrangements. She organized a quiet funeral and buried Rosario in a peaceful spot that Rosario had chosen. Among Rosario's belongings, Margaret discovered hair ties for a young girl and a pink princess dress. Recognizing them, she realized they must have been Madelyn's from when she was little and stored them safely in a bag.At SereneCare Hospital, Kai sat in his office with his head down, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He had been poring over this report all night.'So I got it wrong the whole time? Madelyn is actually Alicia's daughter and isn't related to Hayson at all. Darn it! How'd I miss that? What the hell have I been doing all these years?'"Dr. Stewart." Someone knocked at
"Can you help him? I'll do anything," she said.Lana searched everywhere for a treatment for Andrew, but no hospital could diagnose his condition. Surprisingly, Kai, better known for his playful nature, was highly respected in the medical community. Most doctors recommended her to consult him. She eventually found a hospital that tried to help Andrew, but his condition worsened. Having no other option, Lana came back home.Kai headed to the parking garage. As he got into his car, Lana quickly slid into the passenger seat.Kai said, "Get out."Lana replied, "Not until you agree."She thought she was being straightforward and assertive, but Kai assumed she was trying to seduce him. "Are you that eager to get intimate with me?"Lana shot him a sharp look. "If it weren't for Andrew, I'd never even go near you." Their relationship had been a mistake from the very beginning.Kai smirked, unfazed. He started the car and drove out of the parking garage. As the city disappeared in the di
Kai let go of Lana, stepped out of the passenger seat, and answered his phone. "She's dead?" he asked."You weren't involved?"After a brief silence, Kai said, "I'll investigate."He had no motive to kill Rosario, especially knowing she did not have much time left. If he had wanted her gone, he would have done it quietly, not blatantly. The leads were now lost. For years, Kai had been searching for the torn pages from Alicia's diary. Those pages contained the truth about certain past events.Kai had taken a brief ten-minute nap and was completely drained. When he turned, he collided with Lana. She teetered backward, about to fall, but Kai was quick to steady her."Can you drive?" he asked.Lana, with a hint of skepticism, replied, "What do you want to do?""Drive back to the hospital once we're off this mountain," Kai said, handing her the keys.Kai needed a break. As he took the passenger seat, he quickly fell asleep, evident from his steady breathing. Lana got into the driver
Remembering the prescription he had eagerly given to Zach filled Kai with guilt. 'My action led to Alicia losing her only daughter.'A past promise he made as a child now weighed heavily on his mind. At eight, standing next to the radiant Alicia and looking at a starry sky, he had said, "If you ever have a daughter, Ms. Wood, I'll look out for her like a big brother."Alicia smiled warmly. "I can see you being a wonderful big brother. And if I'm not around," she had added, her tone more serious, "promise me you'll take care of her."Kai, even as a young boy, had taken the promise to heart. "I promise."Yet, thinking of it now, he felt a pang of sorrow. 'I was supposed to protect her. If Madelyn dies, I'm to blame.'Lana waited outside the operating room, watching as Kai, dressed in blue scrubs, went inside. She was not used to seeing him so serious; his usual self was so playful.After a short nap, Madelyn came down to the living room, feeling hungry. "Margaret, did someone stop
"He's legitimate because I say so. I will let everyone know that Dalton Jardin is my son, "Zach declared.Zach was not discussing this with Madelyn; he merely told her what he planned to do. Madelyn could never stop Zach from doing whatever he wanted. Sometimes, even she would not know what Zach was thinking."I can't allow you to do that. You should put the child under my name. Then he would be my child and have no relation to you. Besides, leaving Ventropolis is your business. I won't be going with you," Madelyn said calmly to Zach. He had his plans, while Madelyn had her convictions.'Father... No... I don't even know if I should call him 'Father,'' Madelyn thought. She was staying in Ventropolis because there were still many things she needed to understand. Most importantly, Madelyn wanted to know whether she was Hayson's biological daughter.However, she did not want their arguing to wake Dalton up. Madelyn got up and left the room. She walked to the living room downstairs to
Liam was standing in the rain, and though it hadn't been long, he was thoroughly drenched.Blake quickly pulled him close, her voice laced with concern. "Are you crazy? It's pouring rain! What if you catch a cold?"Liam's look was subdued, his face showing signs of fatigue. "I'm okay. This is for you; I didn't want you to have to come out in this weather."As Blake took in his forlorn appearance, her heart softened suddenly. 'Am I losing my mind?' she thought."Now you'll have to pay more attention to me, Blake... I was just so scared of losing you. I've put everything I have into getting you to agree to marry me; the idea of you walking away is unbearable."Overwhelmed with emotion, Blake locked eyes with him. "Did she teach you to say that too?" she asked, her hand moving on its own to brush away the raindrops from his hair.A maid nearby, observing the scene, rushed over with a blanket and an umbrella. However, Grace, fully grasping the gravity of the moment, halted her. Ackno
Cecilia said, "It's fine. Let's give them a week. Rearrange the flight and all the plans for the trip. This is Blake's first time getting married and going abroad for honeymoon. I want to make sure she has a good time."Susan nodded. "Okay, Ms. Samford."Not long after Cecilia left, three editors who used to work for Olivia's company entered her office. All of them spoke in panic, "Ms. Blue, what should we do? Ms. Samford already knows everything. If the legal department finds out about it, will we go to jail?"Olivia remained calm as she said, "Don't panic. Just focus on your work.""But we got into this company through you. What if they say we got into this company through the back door and then fired us?"Olivia sat at her desk, supporting her forehead with her hands. She was obviously panicking. "Don't worry, I'll handle this."You guys can leave now."Olivia did not expect this matter to be exposed so soon. She wondered how Cecilia found out about it. 'Could it be that she'
StartReading Literary was the last place Cecilia wanted to be. But she made an exception this time.Olivia had just finalized a cooperative copyright deal with another website company. Several editors from her own company were there at StartReading Literary. As she entered the office, she saw all the editors from StartReading Literary sitting upright, not daring to make a sound.She also saw her office door was wide open. She frowned as she walked into her office and was surprised to see an unexpected gust.Olivia put down the documents in her hand. "Ms. Samford, what brings you here?"With her legs crossed and Susan standing behind her, Cecilia stared at Olivia, who was in front of her.Cecilia sneered and stood up. She ran her fingers along the desk. "StartReading is actually the last place I want to be. I came here because I found out that you enjoy meddling in other people's affairs. Otherwise, you wouldn't even qualify to see me."Olivia instantly looked wary. She remained s
Liam stood up. He watched as Blake, who looked weary, walked away. "Blake, what do you want me to do so you'll like me?"Blake did not stop walking. Instead, she took even bigger steps and left.She went to the Harper residence, which surprised everyone.Grace asked, "Blake? Why did you come back here? Where's Liam? Why didn't he come back with you?"Blake stuttered, unable to find the words. She just made up an excuse, saying, "It's nothing. I just wanted to come back."After Hannah and Yael left the wedding last night, they went back to the research institute.As for Simon, he went to the farm to manage the business.After Blake went to her room, Grace became worried. She followed her and saw her sitting with a blank expression in the room, not knowing what to do.When Blake saw Grace, she quickly adjusted her mood. "Grace, why are you here?""I came to check on you. Blake, what's wrong? Did you have a fight with Liam? You just had your wedding yesterday, and you're already
The pregnancy test report came out fifteen minutes after Blake did the test. She was indeed pregnant. She was even seven weeks pregnant.Blake had indeed been involved with Kevin while in Northern Myanmar over a month ago.She held the medical report while standing bewildered in the cold hospital corridor. Lights shone through the floor-to-ceiling window onto her body, but all Blake felt was the cold, which made her hands and feet numb.She was lost in her thoughts. 'I'm really pregnant. What should I do with this baby? I want it to be born more than anyone else. But now, everything has changed. This child shouldn't come into this world.'She wandered in the corridor. Suddenly, she saw someone coming out of another gynecological room.She thought, 'Some things are just destined by fate. When I long to see him, even catching a glimpse of him in a dream feels like a luxury, an unattainable wish. But now, when I don't want to see him, it seems he appears everywhere I go.'Kevin supp
Blake wondered, 'I'm now pregnant with Kevin's child. What should I do?'She woke up groggily when she felt someone carry her. She opened her heavy eyelids and asked, "What time is it now?"Liam responded, "It's four-thirty in the morning. It's still early; go back to sleep for a while more."Blake said in a hoarse voice, "I've made an appointment for an abortion at eight o'clock. Regardless of whether I'm really pregnant or not, I don't want to keep this child."She had thought about it all night and believed this was the best decision.Kevin was going to get engaged. Blake believed he would get married and Audrey would give birth to his children. There was simply no need for her to complicate things further.She thought, 'If I choose to be selfish and decide to keep this baby, and if people find out about it, my child will be treated as an illegitimate child. I don't even dare to imagine how badly the child will be treated.'If giving birth to the baby will bring it a lifetime
Blake continued, "What about you, Liam? Do you mind?"If you do, you can choose to divorce me. After all, I've wronged you. No one wants to marry a woman who's carrying someone else's child."Liam stepped forward on the shattered cup and hugged her tightly. "I don't mind. Blake, I love you, including everything about you. I don't mind your past. I just want to start over with you. I didn't tell you about the pregnancy because I was selfish; I wanted to keep you by my side."Blake, your child is my child. I want to raise the baby with you."Don't leave me, okay?"Blake did not know why, but she was not surprised by her pregnancy. However, she felt that there were still some things that she could not let go of, though she was unsure what those were.She was not as calm as she had imagined.She thought about her past events. Then, she indifferently said, "Liam, I don't want this child. Since I'm prepared to be with you, I won't keep this child. It wouldn't be fair to you."Liam di
On this romantic night, the moon was obscured by the clouds.Breathing heavily, Blake felt some pain in her abdomen. She asked to stop. "Liam, my stomach hurts. I think I'm going to have my period soon."Liam sobered up instantly. "I'll go get you some medicine."She peeked out from under the blanket as the bedside lamp turned on. She could clearly see Liam's naked upper body. Her face flushed as she averted her gaze. "It's fine. Just help me call the front desk and ask them to bring up a pack of sanitary pads. I'll go to the bathroom to deal with it."Liam replied, "Let's go to the hospital tomorrow for a check-up."Blake picked up her clothes from the floor and went to the bathroom. "It's okay. It's probably just my period."However, judging by the blood flowing out, it did not seem like menstrual blood to Blake. It looked like something else.Blake's voice came from the bathroom again. "I think we should go to the hospital."She sat on the toilet and watched the tall, slende
Blake had no bridesmaids, so she returned to the hotel room alone. As she stepped out of the elevator and was ready to use the room key card in her hand to swipe and enter the room, she suddenly saw a figure appear from the corner of her eye.She stopped her action and looked at the person who had left the wedding earlier.At that moment, Blake felt her breath catch, but it was only fleeting. She then quickly regained her composure and averted her gaze. She asked, "Didn't you leave? Why are you still here?"Kevin replied, "Congratulations."Upon hearing his congratulations, Blake felt a mix of amusement and discomfort. "There's nothing to congratulate. If anything, I should congratulate you. You're soon to be the mayor's son-in-law. In the future, we won't belong in the same social class anymore."I'm tired and came back to rest. You should leave now before Liam comes up and sees you here."Don't look for me again. I don't want him to misunderstand."Kevin responded, "Audrey and