LOGIN"W-What?"Renee froze. That came as a complete shock to her. Her mind went blank, and her body felt numb."You heard that right. Our mother and your ex-husband's father were once deeply in love!"Quinton snorted. He felt equal parts bitterness and resignation. "This was what I meant when I said fate played tricks on humans. Their relationship changed the entire course of my life. I've spent years trying not to hate them, but for a long time, I couldn't. At the same time, I know I can't keep hating them!"His clenched fists slowly loosened as he spoke. The rage that consumed him gradually gave way to acceptance.Renee was still reeling from the revelation. Her expression only grew more bewildered. "But how would their relationship affect your life? Are you saying the reason you were taken as a baby had something to do with that?""Jealousy can make a woman do terrible things. The reason I was taken traces back to your former mother-in-law."Quinton clenched his jaw. He was st
Renee thought back to the way her parents had interacted with each other. Their relationship had always seemed harmonious. Her father adored her mother. He treated her like the most precious thing in the world, protecting and cherishing her in every way.Her mother seemed to love him too. She rarely argued with him and never made unreasonable demands.Their marriage reminded Renee of those old-fashioned arranged marriages between well-matched families. It wasn't passionate or dramatic, but there was mutual respect, companionship, and devotion.Still, something always felt missing, but she couldn't explain exactly what it was."From the way you're describing it, they weren't really in love at all. It sounds more like they were maintaining appearances and playing the role of a loving couple, doesn't it?"Quinton cut straight to the point.If that was true, then everything Stefan had told him made much more sense.His mother had already given her heart to someone she could never fo
Quinton was silent for a long time before finally nodding.He knew that, given Renee's relentless curiosity, there was no way he could keep hiding the truth.Besides, as far as he was concerned, he and Renee shared a special bond. They had spent nine months together in their mother's womb. They were connected in a way no one else could understand. There shouldn't have been any barriers between them.Since Stefan had chosen to be completely honest with him, perhaps he had already accepted that this secret would no longer remain a secret."So what's the story behind this painting? Tell me already!"Renee's eyes sparkled with anticipation.She had expected her brother to eventually open up to her, but she never imagined he would give in so easily. It felt like she had suddenly uncovered a hidden treasure.In a way, when someone who had been kept in the dark for so long finally had access to the truth, wasn't that its own kind of treasure?"How much do you really know about Mom and
Renee wasn't dumb. She could hear the hidden meaning behind Stefan's words about 'real damage' and Quinton's remark about fate playing tricks on people.Maybe they were talking about the same thing. Maybe both of them already knew the truth. She was the only one still being kept in the dark. To her, following their lead and living according to their choices felt even worse than being a fool."W-What do you mean? Fate playing tricks on people? It's just an expression."Quinton took a step back. He couldn't bring himself to meet her gaze. He felt like a criminal being interrogated."Quinton, stop treating me like I'm dumb, will you? What exactly are you and Stefan hiding from me? If he won't tell me, fine. But are you really going to keep secrets from me too? I'm your sister. Your twin sister. We spent nine months in the same womb together!"Renee pressed forward, alternating between reason and emotion as she chipped away at Quinton's defenses.Just as she'd said, Stefan might be i
"What are you two talking about?"Quinton walked over. His gaze shifted back and forth between Renee and Stefan. He was trying to catch signs of unusual behavior.Clearly, the three of them were like people from different planets. Each carried their own secrets, and each held firmly to their own convictions. None of them would let the others see through them so easily."Nothing much."Renee smiled as if she had just switched her social media privacy settings to 'close friends only'. She had no intention of letting Quinton know about the complicated conversation she just had with Stefan."Nothing, really. I just told her to…"Stefan trailed off and looked up at the moon. Moments ago it had been bright and full, but now half of it was hidden behind drifting clouds, like a girl concealing her thoughts. It was also a reminder that the night had grown very late."Get a good night's sleep."Stefan let out a long sigh. The way he looked at Renee was gentle yet full of sorrow."That's
After saying that, Stefan turned around and walked away. He left Quinton standing there in confusion.As far as Quinton was concerned, he was the greatest victim of this family tragedy. He had endured every injustice and every hardship. He hated every member of the Hunt family from the bottom of his heart.Yet he also knew how important Stefan and the entire Hunt family were to Renee. For her sake, he had been willing to force himself to let go of his pain and hatred. It was all so she could finally have the happy ending she deserved.Now, the person who had seemingly started all of this was the one refusing reconciliation. Not only was he refusing it, but he apparently harbored even deeper resentment."Could there really be another tragedy? Something even worse than what happened to me?"Quinton had wanted to confront Stefan and demand answers, but as he watched him walk away, somehow looking lonelier and more defeated than ever, he found himself affected by that sorrow. He subco
Stefan could not accept it. "I thought you were just putting on an act. Are you really gonna “cast out” your only son? If Dad and Grandpa find out about this, they'll break my leg.”Francine patted Stefan on the shoulder and said, "Don't worry, son. Your father and grandfather will do no such thing b
“Yup, you children are right. I failed to educate him properly as his mother. I can't believe I raised a giant iceberg who has no idea what being considerate means.”Francine pinched Stefan on the arm while admonishing him.However, her son's arm muscles were so firm that her fingers could not get a g
Haze's captivating eyes darkened a little as they flashed with a complex mix of emotions. He quickly returned to his look of cynicism as he joked, "What are you afraid of? I'm offering you a prime cut of meat on a platter! It's right in front of you now, so why not just be bold and take a huge bite?
"I didn't know how to cook in the past, but I took it up. Now, I can cook," Stefan said."You actually took lessons for this? You sure have a lot of time on your hands.""How could you say that? Cooking for someone you like brings a lot of joy. I thought you'd have known…" Stefan smiled vaguely. "I h







