"Then you two have agreed to lie to me!" Timothy saw straight through their plan, and sighed deeply. "You know I won't live for long, so you decided to put on an act with him to avoid having any regrets?""No, Grandpa. You've overthinking it!" Renee protested."I know your personality, Ren. You've always put others before yourself, so it's not surprising that you'd do something like this. As much as I hope you and Stefan will return to the way you both were before, you must forgive him, fall in love with him again, and be content with him first."After advising them, the old man said seriously, "Look into my eyes and tell me you've forgiven him and fallen in love with him again.""I…" Renee unconsciously looked away from his intense gaze as guilt consumed her and glanced at Stefan for assistance. "You should ask him, Grandpa. He is aware of everything.""I knew you wouldn't believe me. Fortunately, I came prepared." Stefan scoffed, then pulled out a document from his pocket and proudly
"Yes. Renee, it's your turn." Stefan's eyes were filled with passion and hope."I…" Renee swallowed her saliva, feeling as though she had been put on the spot. Because of Timothy's statements, she found it difficult to concur with Stefan. If she made a casual commitment and couldn't follow through with it, she'd be cursing Timothy."Ren, you said you got back together with Stefan because you love each other. Isn't it normal for a husband and wife to swear never to leave one other for the rest of their lives? Why are you finding it so difficult?"Timothy frowned. He just wanted them to be happy. "No!" Renee gulped hard, smiled gently, and clasped Stefan's hand, muttering, "I hope that as Stefan's wife, I can always be happy with him for the rest of my life."Stefan was so astonished he choked on his own spit. He stared at Renee, eyes wide in disbelief. He hadn't expected Renee to say those things to him—he expected her to tell a few falsehoods and lie to Timothy."Renee, have you given
When Stefan and Alexander heard this, they were both dumbfounded. Although the atmosphere was lively and humorous, it was also peaceful and heartwarming.Aiden, on the other hand, seemed solemn. He crossed his arms and pouted as if he was angry.Renee and Francine were pleasantly conversing when Renee saw his face and asked, "Adie, what's wrong? Why do you look so unhappy?""Mommy, I think you're being irresponsible.""Huh? What do you mean?" Renee was perplexed, and everyone turned to stare at the little boy.Aiden had kept his displeasure hidden for so long that he finally let everything out. "Weren't you supposed to marry Q? How did you end up marrying Bad Daddy? Did you forget how he used to bully you?"He was afraid Renee would be bullied again."Hahaha. Well, about that..." Renee felt uneasy and didn't want Timothy and the others to discover the act, so she stated, "I was just joking with Mr. Q. How am I going to marry him? He is not your biological father.""It doesn't matter wh
Timothy suspected that Mr. Q was probably a source of contention between Stefan and Renee, so he avoided asking anything else about him.Aiden, on the other hand, was a child. Even though he had tremendous intelligence, he had little understanding of relationships and continued to battle for Mr. Q's justice. "I disagree with you marrying Bad Daddy, Mommy. You should get married to Q—He's a thousand times better than Bad Daddy!"Pouting, the little boy fiercely declared, "If you don't marry Q, I won't acknowledge you anymore!"Timothy was perplexed. He grinned as he affectionately rubbed the boy's head. "Can you explain why you like Q? How is he superior to your father?""Q aced all of my tests. He cooks well, talks kindly, sings well, makes Mommy laugh, and most importantly, he has a house full of unique treasures. If Mommy is upset, she will go inside for a stroll and immediately feel better!""Treasures?""Yes. It's Water Dock's treasure house. Everyone admires and fears him. He's in
Everyone left Renee and Stefan alone at night so they could have some private time together.She wheeled him to his bedroom, and the atmosphere felt loving."You must be tired today… Rest up. I'll go get some rest as well. The servant will arrive later to assist you with cleaning." Renee carefully tucked her hair behind her ear and prepared to leave.Before she could, Stefan gripped her slender wrist and gazed at her intently. "We pretended to be in love for an entire day. Isn't it pointless if you leave now?""Didn't we agree that this is all a ruse? They've fallen asleep, so it's time to call it quits.""But I want it to be real." He softly took her hand and put it on his handsome face. He was like a lion who had let go of his pride to beg for a pat on the back. "You want it to be real, too, right?""I…" She couldn't find the words to reply. His stubble pricked her palm as she stroked his face, and her heart pounded in her chest."Stay. I want us to sleep together… like a married cou
Stefan's back had healed and was stronger than before a week later. His bond with Renee has strengthened rapidly as well. She didn't mind spending more time with him, and they were kissing and touching each other like any other husband and wife.Stefan was happy with their current status and treasured his time with her. The thrill of regaining what he had lost was the greatest gift God could have given him!One morning, the sun was bright outside the window, and the birds were chirping as a breeze swept through the beige-colored drapes. Renee lay in Stefan's warm arms, refusing to move."It's time for you to wake up, sleepy head." His strong arms wrapped around her, and he tapped her nose softly as he murmured, "Today is a special day. I want to take you and the kids to celebrate.""Shh. It's so warm here. I want to sleep." She held him tightly, nuzzling his chest like a contented cat. She loved lying in his arms like this because it made her feel safe. She refused to leave this warm
"That's not right, Francine! Shouldn't you be angry with your daughter-in-law for being so lazy?""I don't see any reason to get angry," said Francine in a considerate tone as she took a sip of her tea. "If the young couple wants to sleep, then let them. It's perfectly natural that they're especially affectionate with each other. I don't see any problem in letting them roll around in bed for a while anyway.""But that's nonsense!" one of Stefan's aunts argued indignantly. "She's a member of a respectable family now, and she should learn to act like it! All of us who married into the Hunts know this! We make sure that we're elegant, dignified, graceful, and courteous at all times—the basic qualities that the wife of an affluent man should…""My daughter-in-law doesn't need any of these qualities," Francine interrupted. "All she needs to do is to spend the rest of her life happily with my son.""You may be able to accept this, Francine, but what about Stefan? Can he endure having suc
The atmosphere in the great hall tensed up immediately. The tension was so thick in the air that it felt like a knife could cut through it.Ever since Stefan faked his death and Jovan colluded with his cronies in an attempt to seize power in Hunt Enterprise, the Hunt family was divided into two warring factions. The first took Alexander's side, while the second took Arthur's side—and from then on, the two cousins then became adversaries.Alexander had a forthright personality, so when he saw Arthur approaching from a distance, he immediately glowered and blurted, "Hmph! I can't believe you have the gall to step into this house! If I'm not mistaken, I don't think my father ever invited you and your wife here today!""Come on, Alex! Why are you treating me like I'm a stranger?"Arthur, cunning as an old fox, wore a wide phony grin on his face as he walked up to Alexander and put his hand on his cousin's shoulder in a fake brotherly gesture."How could I not be here when it's such a