Later in the evening, Renee finally coaxed the talkative children into sleeping.To be more precise, Abigail was the talkative one. She kept pestering Renee to talk about her past life with Stefan.Aiden refuted all night long, but it was to no avail. He, too, was forced to listen to Renee's stories about her life with Stefan.In the end, Abigail's conclusion was that Stefan was a good person who could be forgiven.Aiden, on the other hand, concluded that Stefan was terrible and couldn't be forgiven.After the children fell asleep, Renee found herself wide awake.She decided to take a walk in the garden for some fresh air.When she opened the door, she was shocked to find Stefan standing right outside the door. She wondered how long he'd been standing there.She gasped in surprise. "W-Why aren't you in bed? Why are you standing here? You gave me a fright!"Renee's tone wasn't exactly gentle when she looked at him and questioned him."I couldn't sleep. The moon looks beautiful
Renee was initially looking at the moon, but after glancing at Stefan, she couldn't stop staring at him. She was completely drawn to his perfect-looking face.She couldn't help but sigh. Why was God so unfair? Why did God give him such a good family? Why was he so capable? Why did he have to have such a perfect face?In spite of all that, God didn't give him 'emotions.'This guy was an emotionless, cold-blooded animal. He was better off made into a specimen to be displayed in museums. He shouldn't be allowed to have human contact.Otherwise, the person coming into contact with him would only be annoyed to death!"How did you get by with two kids all these years?" Stefan was also looking at the moon in the beginning. Suddenly, he turned to look at Renee and noticed she was peeking at him.When their eyes met, there was a spark of romance in the air…Renee panicked a little and quickly looked away. "There's not much to say about it. Both of them are good kids. I would go as far as
"You had a brother?" Stefan was a little surprised. This was the first time he'd heard that Renee actually had a twin brother who didn't survive."Hmph! If my brother were still alive, he'd have beaten you up long ago. You're only bullying me because you think I have nobody at home to depend on!" Renee couldn't resist condemning Stefan again.Oftentimes, the marriage quality of a woman was greatly correlated with their family situation.If her family was powerful and could help her husband's family in a particular way, her in-laws wouldn't dare look down on her. Even if her husband didn't spoil her rotten, they would at least treat each other with respect. She'd still have a healthy sense of ego.That explained why Renee was treated so unkindly in the Hunt family back then. Even the maids walked all over her. It wasn't because Stefan didn't love her. Instead, it was because she had nobody to rely on, and her family wasn't powerful enough to support her."I'm not that vain. Back th
"Back then, I did find you pitiful. You seemed as fragile as the flower on your ear. A gentle breeze could easily make you wither. After getting divorced, your personality changed completely. One couldn't even associate the word 'weak' with you. I was definitely overthinking, though." Although Stefan knew about how much Renee had changed after their divorce, he still couldn't quite process it.He couldn't figure out how the same person could have two completely different states of being!However, it didn't matter whether she was 'weak' or 'tough'; she was still able to easily influence his emotions.Renee smiled and looked at Stefan with a complicated expression on her face. "I never knew you were so kind and generous. If that's the case… Why don't you go all the way and set us free? Let my children and I live our lives in peace."Stefan's gaze turned gloomy. "Do you really think I'm bothering you and the kids by being close to you?""Don't you think so? Can't you tell that neithe
Stefan left after he finished speaking.Renee stayed in the garden on her own. She stood under the moonlight and got lost in thought while she gazed at the field of sunflowers.Truth be told, Renee did consider doing exactly as he said.Although Stefan's words were unpleasant, he was speaking the truth when he said no other man would treat her children better than their biological father.Like every other mother, Renee wanted the best for her children.If she and Stefan got back together, her children would be happier. Perhaps, she could give it a try.But what about Mr. Q? She promised she would marry him in a week!"Ahh. This is so annoying!" Renee felt increasingly annoyed. She ruffled her hair and cursed herself for being a tramp. She was two-timing her fiance.Feeling conflicted, she returned to the bedroom. She tossed and turned all night long, and she barely slept.By the time she woke up the next day, it was already noon."Crap!"With warm sunlight shining against he
"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 heard you never even cooked before marrying me. Didn't you train yourself to be a good cook because of me?""Who said that? It's not true," Renee refuted unconvincingly.If she claimed to be the kind who wouldn't even enter the kitchen, nobody would dare to question her.She was very different from ordinary girls from a very young age. She didn't like dolls, pretty dresses, and playing with dollhouses. Most of all, she disliked going into the kitchen. On the contrary, she enjoyed fighting, guns, coding, and physical chemistry.If it weren't for her attempt to become a 'qualified' wife in the Hunt family, she would never have even stepped into the kitchen. Her only goal in life was to
The two children woke up early. They had already gone around the Hunt Villa.They adapted much better than Renee expected they would. Despite being in a completely unfamiliar environment, they were able to feel happy and at ease. Evidently, they behaved as if they owned the place."What are you two doing? Why didn't you wake me up?" Renee asked.She realized they were standing on their tiptoes next to a yellow fruit tree while they looked up."Mommy, come here, quickly. Look, these four must be hungry. They keep chirping, and their mouths are wide open!" Abigail quickly ran over to Renee and tugged at her hand. She then pointed at the four fledglings in a nest. She seemed very worried.Chirp! Chirp!Four fledglings that recently hatched were chirping weakly in the nest.They were too small to even open their eyes. Their mouths were all open while they waited for their mother to feed them."They're probably hungry. Let's find them something to eat!" Renee couldn't help but empat
The longer Renee looked at these fledglings, the more she found them adorable. It's as if she was looking at her own children. Her motherly instincts were fully activated.She looked forward to the moment they took to the air once their feathers were fully developed in a month!"Renee, what are you feeding them with?" Stefan asked gently while he looked up at her from below."Huh?" Renee turned around when she heard his voice.Rays of sunlight that passed through gaps in the tree branches shone against his perfect face, casting a shadow behind him. He looked like the male lead from an anime. He was ridiculously good-looking."Daddy, we're feeding them caterpillars. They love it!" Abigail exclaimed with excitement. "Mommy caught these caterpillars with us…" She declared proudly."W-worms?" Stefan gulped. He felt goosebumps all over his scalp.Despite being fearless in general, he was terrified of soft, furry creatures, especially caterpillars. A single glance was enough to give h
While Macsen was talking, his subordinate reached Leia and grabbed her neck with one hand. A light was reflected on the shiny machete; it seemed he was about to slash Leia.Frightened, Leia hunched and screamed in terror. "Ah, no! Save me, Liam! Ren, save me!" "Stop!" Reia yelled at Macsen, anxious. "What do you want to let us go? Tell me, I'll do it!"At first, she was carefree. She was fine even if she got killed and couldn't be bothered to resist. However, she grew restless since her friend was about to be harmed. She would rather take Leia's place. "Stop stalling for time. You've used this trick too many times tonight. Do you think I'll be fooled again?" Macsen sneered. "You're too vicious and nearly bit off my neck. I'm just avenging myself!""Then, you're asking for trouble!" Renee's gaze grew sharp. "Listen. If you harm her, you'll die very miserably right away!""Hahaha! Stop bluffing!" Macsen laughed. "People who can save you now can't even protect themselves. Plus, th
"What?" When Leia heard that, she swallowed and her hair stood on end. Although she didn't know what it meant, using human skin was terrifying. "You guys look confused. I'm sure you don't know what that is…" Macsen was calmer since his neck was bandaged. He said generously to his subordinate, "Come and explain it to them. Prepare them for fear that the lamp might not be bright enough because they're too nervous.""Okay, boss!" Macsen's subordinate nodded. He walked to them and said arrogantly, "Well, we'll use a machete to skin people from head to toe to make lamps. The light from these lamps is blurry and beautiful. It's a top and valuable item.""That's crazy!" After listening to that explanation, a chill ran down Leia's spine. She gnashed her teeth and said to Macsen, "Are you out of your mind? That's a crazy habit! Aren't you worried the victims might come demanding your life in the middle of the night?"The people here were used to a human lamp, so it became common among th
The three of them rolled their eyes in unison and looked speechless."Look, Liam. She's the top love-struck idiot. She'll never learn though she'd suffered much." Leia shook her head and sighed. She felt sorry for Renee's bad luck and disappointing actions.Although Leia was a love-struck fool herself, she was better than Renee. She would quickly retreat if she found anything wrong unless the guy shamelessly pestered her. Also, he had to show his sincerity. Only then would she forgive him. Renee was way worse. She suffered countless times because of one single man, but she didn't even hate him. She even wanted to ask him if they could start over.No one could be as "humble" as her.Renee used to be a bright and awesome figure, and it seemed like there was nothing she could not resolve. Yet, she lost herself several times because of a man. It infuriated Leia. Leia was not alone in feeling that way. Liam shared her sentiments and gnashed his teeth furiously. "Seriously, I wonde
Silence washed over everyone instantly. It seemed they were waiting for Renee's answer.Mateo, who was unrelated, was all ears too. He wanted to listen to a spicy story before he got killed. After all, it was related to Stefan, the mighty president of Hunt Enterprise. Of course, it would be amazing. However, Renee remained silent after a long while."Hey, silly. Of course, Renee wants to meet Adie and Abby the most!" Leia glared at Liam because the latter had asked the obvious. She also helped to get Renee out of the awkwardness. "Of course." Liam didn't let it go, and kept pressing Renee. "Is there anyone else you want to meet other than Adie and Abby?" "Certainly. Both Quinton and Margaret are very important to Ren. I know Ren can't bear to let them go," Leia casually mentioned other people except Stefan. She knew Stefan's name was too special to Renee. If she mentioned Stefan, Renee might break down. Hence, she could never mention Stefan."No, you're wrong!" Mateo finall
Previously, Amber cared very much about Liam. Later, she wanted nothing but to stay away from him.She had happily planned their wedding and imagined how to lead their married lives. Later, she planned her wedding with another man…and wanted to learn sewing from Liam to sew their wedding suits. It was heartbreaking!Hence, Liam chose a noble excuse to try and ruin the wedding between Amber and Mateo. He kept using pessimistic wedding opinions to influence Amber's thoughts as a traditional woman.True, he hadn't influenced Amber's mind solely out of his selfishness. Women would have more freedom if they stayed single. He dissuaded Amber from getting married mainly for the sake of her happiness, but it didn't cover up his despicable thoughts. Hence, he chose to keep quiet."Wow, Liam! I didn't expect you to fall for her. I thought you were forced to be with her!" While enjoying the fun, Leia forgot about her sadness and fear. Her eyes went wide as she teased Liam. "Hey, you kno
Liam found Leia unlucky and disappointing. He simply stopped talking.A brief silence overcame them. It seemed like they had accepted their fate to get killed as they quietly waited for their death.Macsen had returned to the shop to treat his wound. After struggling for a long while, Mateo failed to struggle free. Macsen's subordinate whipped him several times. "Motherfucker! Just wait. I'll make you pay!" Mateo furiously cursed Macsen's subordinate. Macsen's subordinate sneered. "Hmph. You want to make me pay? I think my boss will skin you alive. It's been a long time since I've seen a lamp made of human skin. We're waiting for a good show!"Leia had closed her eyes, but when she heard that, she shuddered and reopened them abruptly. Her voice was shaky as she asked, "Liam, what's that?" "Uh…" Liam found it too cruel and couldn't bring himself to explain it to Leia. He hated his incapabilities. "It's my fault. I got you guys into this mess. Damn it all!""No, we can't blam
Renee was well aware of the situation and was calm in the face of death. "If Macsen wants to kill us, Benjamin will feign ignorance. I think we're doomed here today.""Whatever. I'm not afraid!" Leia didn't take it too seriously, grinning. "You and Liam are the most important people to me. Although we weren't born on the same day, it's great that we can die on the same day. I want us to be siblings in our next lives!""Silly, you're so optimistic. We're going to get killed, not attending a party! Why are you this happy?" Liam's gloominess and tenseness gradually relaxed because of Leia's optimistic and happy tone. "Yeah, it isn't a big deal. I have no regrets since I can die with you guys.""You guys have no regrets, but I'm unlucky!"Mateo kept sighing. "If I knew, I wouldn't have meddled in this or caught you guys. At most, I'd be suppressed by another guy. But now, I'm about to get killed. I regret it! You have big supporters, don't you? Is there any way to contact either of
When the fight reached an intense moment, Macsen's subordinates managed to surround Liam and Mateo. They were disappointing.Macsen's most loyal subordinate aimed a gun at Liam's head and screamed at Renee, who had gone mad. He tried to threaten her. "Let our boss go, or I'll make you pay a price!" Renee regained her wits and turned to look at Liam. Her mouth was bloody. A helpless sigh escaped her. "Why are you this useless? How could they get you?"Helpless, she slowly got up and let Macsen go temporarily. "Motherfucker! Go to hell!"When Macsen regained freedom, he was no longer a gentleman. He slapped Renee twice with one hand and held his neck with the other. Then, he ordered his subordinates, "Tie them up with the woman on that ship!""Okay!" Macsen's subordinates were obedient. They quickly grabbed a thick and heavy rope to tie up Renee, Liam, Leia, and Mateo together, tying the rope around them thrice."Liam, why are you caught too? You're so useless. We even wanted
Everyone looked at each other in dismay before raising their weapons to attack Renee.Liam ordered his subordinates to fight Macsen's men when he noticed the danger. "Don't hurt her, or I'll fight you!"There were more than ten people from both sides. When they started fighting, the whole jetty was filled with the sounds of weapons and bullets. It was a mess.That battle sacrificed a lot of Liam's subordinates. Gradually, he failed to hold on."Mateo, where are your men? Get them into the fight. If anything happens to Boss, you'll suffer too. That crazy Stefan will kill everyone!"While fighting Macsen's subordinates, Liam wanted to involve Mateo in the fight since the latter was merely watching. Besides, he knew what a man like Mateo, who was good at weighing the pros and cons, cared about the most.As expected, Mateo chose to side with Liam when he heard that this mess would affect his relationship with Stefan.After all, Macsen was the most powerful person in the fort. It wou