Carter's attention snapped to the sound of his name. He turned his head, squinting into the distance. There, on the horizon, two figures emerged - a man and a woman. The distance was challenging, but Carter could feel his heart race as he squinted to make out their features. The girl's form was uncannily like Julia's, and the man bore a striking resemblance to someone Carter knew. A knot of intrigue formed in his stomach.His gaze remained fixed on the girl, the similarities striking him with each passing moment.Could it really be Julia?His mind raced, thoughts whirling in a maelstrom of possibilities. The man accompanying her, could it truly be him?Before Carter could fully digest this improbable sight, the duo embarked on the Princess cruise ship, their figures growing clearer as they neared. Vivien, Carter's fiancée, voiced her disbelief, debunking the notion that the newcomers could be Julia and the man from Carter's thoughts."You read it wrong," he convinced himself. "It coul
"I'll go! What are you doing?!"A sharp exclamation cut through the air, yanking Jared's attention away from the unfolding spectacle on the nearby cruise ship. Julia's voice, laden with a mix of surprise and curiosity, echoed in his ears. He turned to find her gaze fixed on the commotion, her expression a blend of bewilderment and intrigue."What's going on?" Jared asked, his curiosity piqued by Julia's sudden reaction.Julia's eyes remained trained on the cruise ship, where a flurry of activity had erupted. "Look at that! People are leaving the cruise ship in lifeboats."Jared's eyebrows furrowed as he followed Julia's gaze. Sure enough, he saw a procession of lifeboats ferrying passengers away from the ship, each departure resembling the tumbling of dumplings into a pot. Confusion etched across his features as he processed the scene before him."What's the matter? Did you let someone poke a hole in the cruise ship?" Julia frowned. Although she was happy to see Carter and Vivien maki
Julia's heart raced like crazy at Jared's words, warmth slowly spreading through her body.Jared looked at her with sparkling eyes, seemingly telling her she was the most important thing in the world— his world. And with his charming looks and intense gaze, even Julia couldn't brush the uneasy feeling off.But as his gaze deepened, so did Julia's guilt.Julia's sole reason for hanging out with Jared all boiled down to the Little Jade Statue, a vessel that held secrets about her real identity.It was so crucial to finding answers to her questions that she jumped into this mission without thinking. She thought if she could find that statue, she could track who gave her this mission in the first place. And by following clues, she might find the person pulling the strings and uncover her true roots.Time had messed up Julia's memories, especially since she had been a sick kid. Her childhood was blurry, yet fragments of it remained.She was sure she had a loving family—parents, grandparent
"What did you say?!" Carter and Vivien said in chorus, with others all taken aback."How can it be fine? Didn't someone say it was sinking?"Benedict also found this situation strange. "I had my people look into it thoroughly, but we came up with absolutely nothing.""Nothing?!" Carter angrily asked as he stood up and grabbed Benedict's collar. "You're telling me you found nothing?! Then, who the hell spread the word about the ship sinking? Shouldn't it be simple to trace if you put some effort into it?"Benedict replied with a bitter smile. "Yes, and we did dig into it. I had my people searching for the source, but it was like the person had vanished into thin air. No traces, no leads."Just like that, Carter's face went all pale and purple like he'd seen a ghost. If the cruise ship incident were merely an accident, Carter would have let it pass, but it was becoming increasingly evident that things were far more complex than he had thought.On the other hand, Vivien's expression dark
"Maddie, they're triplets!" Julia's face lit up, and she flashed Maddie a thumbs-up. "Damn, you're good!""Good, my ass," Maddie responded with a wry smile and an eye roll. But the next moment, her expression shifted to one of distress. She sank into a chair, cradling her head in her hands, her temples throbbing.Putting herself in Maddie's shoes, Julia sighed and joined her. "So, what are you planning to do next?"Maddie's emotions swirled, her laughter mingled with tears. "If only I knew this would happen, I would've not left home that day.""Have you thought about considering an abortion?"Maddie hesitated, contemplating the gravity of her decision. "I don't know, but doesn't that feel a bit harsh? I mean, we're talking about three lives here. Their fate rests on my choice, and it just feels morally wrong to abort.""Agreed," Julia nodded thoughtfully. "Well, if that's the case, give birth to them."Maddie's lips parted slightly, her brow creasing. "But I'm not ready to take on thi
Right after hearing that statement, Maddie looked up in an instant. The moment she saw the man’s face, she immediately remembered the night when she had pinned the man down.She could still vaguely remember the man’s reluctance and grumbling demeanor, but in the end, she was able to subdue him.“Oh my gosh, it’s you!” she exclaimed. ‘How could it be?’He was the man who had been calling Julia all this time! He obviously liked her, and yet she had managed to snatch her best friend away?With this thought in mind, Maddie subconsciously pressed her lower abdomen, feeling an intense sense of conflict in her heart.Of course, she didn’t want to get rid of the three little lives inside her. However, she knew that if Julia and this man got together in the future, her friendship with Julia would be scarred.Maddie bit her lower lip, not knowing what to do.‘Of all people, why did it have to be him?’ she thought in distress.Meanwhile, Julia’s eyes shifted back and forth between Henry and Madd
The moment Julia uttered those words, the atmosphere in the private room instantly became quieter than it had ever been.Everyone else stared at Julia and Jared in bewilderment except for Henry, who had known the truth all along.Julia was more concerned about her brother’s opinions, so she turned to him and carefully asked, “Conrad?”Conrad let out a deep breath as if calming himself down. Then, he gave Julia a stern look. “Julia, are you… serious? This isn’t some prank?”Julia was not sure how to answer his question. She didn’t entirely tell them the truth. Also, she just wanted to find the Little Jade Statue to learn about her birth.“I see,” Conrad replied and stood up.Julia’s hesitant expression and silence were enough for Conrad to confirm his doubts.“Conrad, wait. I—” Conrad fired his question Before she could even finish her sentence.“When did this happen?”“J-just recently…” Julia trailed. She didn’t want to reveal that it was on the day she was supposed to get married to
Maddie gasped in surprise. When she raised her head, she saw Henry's reflection in the mirror."Why did you follow me up?" Maddie asked, looking at Henry warily.Henry's hands rested casually in his pockets as he glanced at the restroom signage. With his brows shot upwards, he rhetorically asked, "What? Are you addicted to using the men's restroom now? Planning to go in?"Maddie's realization dawned as Henry's words settled in—she stood beside the men's restroom sink. Suppressing her embarrassment, she gathered her composure and countered, "You're the one addicted. I'm just washing my hands! Is there a rule that women can't use this sink?"Unbeknownst to the pair, Julia had trailed them. Upon arriving, she heard the bickering between the two, like elementary school kids.Considering Henry's status was just as high as Jared's, she became curious. Anything going on in Henry's life was worth knowing because it was a big deal. He was the eldest son of the prestigious Miles family, the sol