"She's someone very impressive!" Florence sighed helplessly.Suzanne frowned with unease.Seeing Suzanne's lack of self-preservation, Florence couldn't help but remind her again, "Even Nate avoids her. Her return this time will surely bring chaos to the family again."Suzanne was curious yet worried.Florence felt her irritation grow. The two sat in silence for a while and neither struck up a conversation.Suzanne tried to break the silence. "Mom, I noticed you were busy with the greenhouse. Is there anything I can help you with?"Florence suddenly remembered. "Oh, right! The flowers in the greenhouse are all in bloom. If you have the time, please help me cut some and put them in vases. Place them around the house when you're done."Suzanne nodded with a smile. "I have time. How many vases do you need?""The vases are already in the greenhouse. Come, let me take you there." Florence subconsciously grabbed Suzanne's wrist and pulled her along.Suzanne felt a profound sense of j
Upon entering the house, a few maids brought tea and snacks. Nathan sat down and chatted with Florence for a while. But his mind wandered and he found his gaze drifting toward the front door.Florence soon noticed his lack of focus. "Nate, what's wrong? Are your men still waiting outside?""No, they've gone back to rest." Nathan snapped back to reality and took a sip of tea.A pleasant fragrance filled the air. Nathan pursed his lips and paused.Florence smiled. "Do you like it? Suzanne was the one who chose the tea, It's a good tea. Also, it's not easy to prepare this tea. Suzanne says the water temperature shouldn't be too high as a higher temperature will make it bitter."Just hearing Suzanne's name made Nathan's heart skip a beat. He gently placed the cup down and cleared his throat. "Seems like you're getting along well."Florence sighed. "That girl is quite simple-minded. She's soft and gentle in character, and she can do anything she sets her mind on. I sometimes wonder
Suzanne was overwhelmed with shame and discomfort when her thoughts laid bare. She gradually lowered her head.Fuming in anger, Nathan let go of her hand and uttered, "If you want a divorce, just tell me. I won't make you stay. Don't use tactics like this to upset me."Tears began to well up in Suzanne's eyes, burdened by a heart heavy with pain and sorrow. She bit her lip and struggled against the urge to cry.Leaving Nathan was not her desire, but she felt powerless to change the direction of their relationship. She grappled with the weight of not wanting to be defined by a troubled past she couldn't undo.Yet, she found herself trapped. Every day felt like a battle for survival, and she felt like a soul slowly withering away.Nathan picked up on her profound sadness, and his own heart sank in response. Realizing he had been too harsh in his words, his gaze softened as he looked at her.In a gentle tone, Nathan said, "Share what's troubling you."Suzanne stayed quiet, and Nath
Nathan froze in place when he heard the question. After a short pause, he answered calmly, "It just seems like a good way to keep your tears at bay."Out of the blue, a soft voice interrupted their moment. "Did you finish setting up my flowers?"Suzanne rushed back to her spot, grabbed her tools, and began trimming. "Almost done, Florence."Florence walked in and saw that none of the flowers were arranged. Some empty vases still sat on the floor, waiting to be taken care of.Confused, she glanced at Nathan. "Nate, didn't you mention coming over to—""Mom, go home and rest. We'll handle it here," Nathan spoke in a louder voice, trying to drown out whatever she was going to say. He swiftly put his arm around Florence's shoulders and guided her away. After seeing Florence off, he returned to find Suzanne focused on trimming the flowers.Nathan grabbed a pair of scissors and took a seat across from Suzanne. He observed how she did it and silently started helping. The peaceful, swee
Nathan's eyes glowed with a mysterious intensity, and a chill surrounded him.With a touch of annoyance, he said, "You simply left a message and disappeared. Isn't that a bit rude? Can you at least give me an explanation?"Suzanne found herself in a tight spot. She couldn't spill the beans about being a possible Nightshade spy.Norvania's military base specialized in producing weapons and housed a highly confidential armory. Being a spy, Suzanne knew she couldn't linger at the military base.The risk of being suspected if any classified information leaked was too great. She was determined to avoid that accusation at all costs.She left without notice because her mind was a chaotic mess at the time, and she couldn't come up with a proper excuse to say goodbye amidst the confusion."I..." Suzanne hesitated.Nathan couldn't stop looking at her lips. Each little move of hers made his heart race. His throat was dry, and he felt the urge to kiss her.He swallowed hard and asked, "Wh
Nathan led Suzanne to the dressing table and gestured for her to sit down.Meanwhile, he settled on the bed and adopted a serious tone. "Suzanne, in situations where we don't have solid proof, it's wise to be cautious and skeptical."Suzanne was a bit puzzled. Nathan sensed that she might not have encountered much of the real world. Maybe she had been sheltered from it. Or it could be that amnesia protected her from the harsh realities of human nature."I have a hunch you could be a Nightshade spy, but without proof, it's just a suspicion," Nathan explained patiently."Did the informant you killed lie?" Suzanne asked."He wasn't the one who tried to harm you earlier. I've scrutinized the footage extensively. Their body sizes don't match."Also, the vice-captain, who's usually armed with a gun, wouldn't resort to a knife for an assassination attempt," Nathan responded.Suzanne was taken aback. She hadn't expected Nathan to delve so deeply into the matter."The vice-captain mig
"Guess what? I went to more than a dozen countries this time. It was super awesome!" exclaimed a woman in her 50s with excitement.Her chattering made it feel like she was in the midst of a lively market. Suzanne approached everyone awkwardly. Nathan noticed her and patted the space next to him on the couch, inviting her to sit.Suzanne was grateful for Nathan's thoughtful gesture. She joined Nathan on the couch and noticed a poised young woman sitting across from her. The young lady was elegant and had her eyes fixed on Suzanne.In the first few minutes of Suzanne settling down, she observed the whole family quietly enduring the constant talk of the middle-aged woman.The woman, decked out in jewelry, looked quite affluent. As she casually picked up her water from the coffee table and took a sip, she noticed Suzanne sitting next to Nathan.Her eyes widened. Without waiting for Nathan to make the introduction, she took the initiative to introduce the young lady beside her."This
Suzanne's ears were covered by Nathan, but she could still catch snippets of Lindsey's talk. Lindsey was going on about old stories loudly with a lot of exaggeration."Back in the day, you guys were all focused on your careers, and I was the one raising your kids. Tay had a tough time at school. He got bullied and even wet himself out of fear. I was there to counsel and hug him to sleep every night."Toby went through a rough patch after a breakup. He even wanted to jump off a building! I was the one who begged him not to. "Dukie loved flaunting his stuff and had always asked me for money to buy expensive brands. I had to give him whatever he wanted because I cared about him!"And then there's Dan—always rebellious and causing trouble. He hung out with the wrong crowd, got into fights, and skipped classes. I was the one tirelessly guiding and influencing him."Lindsey pointed at Nathan and continued, "And you, Nate, you were still hooked on milk at three. Every day, after your mo