Roxanne sensed Archie and Benny’s suspicion. Concealing her unease, she calmly led the children to the couch. After Roxanne rested at home for a week, her leg injury had made a decent recovery, and she could already walk una*sisted.Nonetheless, Lysa and the children fussed over her condition and insisted she rest for a couple more days at home.As the three of them settled on the couch, the children’s attention remained on the rejected flowers, and they asked, “Mommy, why didn’t you accept the flowers?”Roxanne did not expect her children’s question and struggled to come up with a reply.Noticing her strange behavior, Archie asked, “The delivery man didn’t answer our question. What if he sent the flowers to the wrong house?”The words had barely left his mouth when Archie hopped off the couch, shooting his mother a final glance before declaring, “I’ll go check with the delivery man. What if he really sent the flowers to the wrong house?”With that said, he actually began walking tow
Lucian’s gaze darkened as he stared at his phone. An indeterminate amount of time pa*sed before he located the flower shop’s number and called them.“Don’t send any flowers tomorrow. Starting next week, please send them to VR Research Institute instead.”The flower shop staff agreed immediately.Meanwhile, though Roxanne had clearly expressed her rejection, she continued to worry that Lucian would ignore her pleas.The next day, Roxanne awoke bright and early and waited in the living room.Her children seemed to echo her thoughts as they came downstairs early to wait with her.The three of them waited with bated breath, especially Roxanne, who was fraught with nerves.Thankfully for her, no one came to ring her doorbell even after a long while.Roxanne was immensely relieved as she watched the suspicions clearing from her sons’ faces. She naively a*sumed that Lucian had finally given up.The next day, after resting at home for almost half a month, Roxanne was dying to return to work.
Before Roxanne could say anything, the man continued, “Besides, you did send the flowers back to my office, didn’t you? Do you want to know how my staff talked behind my back?” Lucian said it matter-of-factly.His reply rendered Roxanne speechless for a moment. After a short pause, she gritted her teeth and retorted, “That’s because your action has caused inconvenience to me, Mr. Farwell!”Lucian let out a baffling laugh. “Your action has caused me inconvenience too, Ms. Jarvis.”“Lucian Farwell!” Roxanne called out his name with a raised voice. “You knew what I meant!”Lucian’s expression turned grim as he responded in a solemn voice, “You knew my intention as well. Why wouldn’t you give me a chance?”Their conversation kept hitting a deadlock.Roxanne pressed her lips, remaining silent for a while. After regaining her composure, she said calmly, “Let’s meet and talk it out.”She had to think of a way to end this quickly as she did not want to play this game with him anymore.Upon h
Given Lucian’s background and stature, he never had the need to put up a front with anybody. Still, he had learned how to control his emotions and facial expressions, having been in the corporate world for so long.Roxanne thought he was really feeling unwell when she saw him frowning.Lucian raised his brows slightly and casually placed one of his hands on his stomach.Roxanne continued sizing him up for a long while. I stayed with him six years ago, and I never knew he had gastritis. That being said, I don’t think he’s just acting. Is he acting weird because he’s experiencing discomfort in his stomach? Otherwise, why would he suddenly change the venue and decide to have a meal instead? Yes, that might be it.Roxanne dispelled her suspicions and agreed to the suggestion through gritted teeth. “I’ve failed to consider your situation, Mr. Farwell. Since you’re not feeling well, you should decide what to eat.”Lucian relaxed the hand he had on his stomach and flashed a subtle grin.“I’
“Yes. I like Essie a lot, but that doesn’t mean I’m willing to marry you.” Without giving Lucian a chance to answer her, she added, “What happened six years ago is still fresh in my mind. I don’t wish to make the same mistakes. You shouldn’t trouble yourself anymore, Mr. Farwell.” Roxanne sounded anxious as she spoke. She could sense Lucian’s intense gaze on her.Fortunately for her, she managed to say whatever she wanted to say.Lucian stared at her for a long time, and he thought of explaining himself. However, he changed his mind when he heard Roxanne’s last sentence. I did her wrong six years ago, and I’ve hurt her. I can’t blame her for not trusting me. No matter what I say, I doubt she’ll listen to me now. In fact, she might even think I’m making excuses for myself.At that thought, Lucian said, “I was wrong for using Essie as an excuse. Regarding my feelings for you, I think you’ll see my sincerity in due time.”Roxanne had never seen this side of Lucian, so she didn’t know ho
Meanwhile, Lucian had wanted to go and fetch Estella after he got off work. However, Jonathan had called him and asked him out for a meal. Lucian had wanted to turn him down, but Jonathan had been talking to him about Roxanne for the past couple of days. He might talk to me about her again tonight.With that in mind, Lucian said yes to him.After Lucian hung up the phone, he told Cayden to fetch Estella, while he went to meet Jonathan.When he arrived, Jonathan was already waiting for him.Jonathan waved at him when he saw Lucian walking in.Lucian saw him and walked toward him.The moment Lucian sat down, Jonathan asked, “How was it? You didn’t fight with Dr. Jarvis at noon, did you?”Upon hearing that, Lucian couldn’t help but recall how Roxanne had rejected him at noon that day, and his expression turned solemn.Jonathan noticed the look on his face, so he asked, “Did it not go well?”If Roxanne doesn’t fancy me at all, she wouldn’t have reacted that way when she heard what the se
When Lucian heard Estella mention Aubree, his gaze darkened. No wonder Roxanne still wouldn’t accept me! Even Essie knows about the entanglement I have with Aubree. Surely, Roxanne is still bothered by it. No matter what, I must pick up my pace and get Mom to forget about Aubree. Lucian pulled himself out of his reverie and asked in a deep voice, “Do you like Ms. Pearson?”Estella shook her head vigorously. Why on earth would I like that evil woman? She’s only nice to me when Daddy is present. Whenever he wasn’t around, she would pinch my arms and spank me!Lucian nodded and made a promise to Estella. “I won’t marry someone you don’t like.”Estella’s eyes lit up once again.“But if you want Ms. Jarvis to be your mommy, I’m going to need your help, Essie.” Lucian shot Estella a meaningful look.Perplexed, Estella tilted her head. Daddy is already so capable. Why does he need my help?Seeing that Estella was confused, Lucian helplessly patted her head and explained, “There’s some misun
At that moment, Lucian approached the group and looked at them quietly. When Archie and Benny saw his arrival, they shared a look and greeted him after some hesitation. “Good morning, Mr. Farwell.”Lucian cocked his brows and reached out to pat the boys’ heads.Roxanne had wanted to ignore Lucian’s presence. But hearing Archie and Benny greet him, she figured it would be an unsightly behavior to continue to pretend not to see him when Pippa was around.With that in mind, Roxanne looked at the man and uttered placidly, “Mr. Farwell.”Lucian turned his head and made eye contact with her. “What a surprise to see you sending Archie and Benny today when you’ve just recovered, Ms. Jarvis.”I thought she’d hide from me again after the incident yesterday. That’s why I got Essie to hand the tickets to Archie and Benny and, in turn, help pa*s them to her afterward. What a surprise to meet her again that soon, huh?An odd look crept up Roxanne’s face when she sensed the underlying meaning in th
Originally, Sonya did not intend to cause trouble for Roxanne at such an hour.Yet she did not expect her son to release such a shocking announcement on the internet, and she only found out while she was having dinner.Sonya was so incensed that she didn’t even finish dinner. After throwing her cutleries in a rage, she set off and drove to Roxanne’s house.She was determined to make Lucian and Estella cut ties with Roxanne as soon as possible.Now that Sonya saw how dependent Estella was on Roxanne, her anger was further fueled.“Roxanne Jarvis, give me back my granddaughter,” she uttered frostily as if Roxanne had snatched Estella away from her.Sensing Estella’s nervousness, Roxanne gripped the former’s hand to soothe her anxiety. Next, Roxanne lifted her head to face the woman opposite her.If this had happened in the past, Roxanne might not know how to respond to a demand like this.However, things were different now. She was Estella’s mother, so she had the right to keep Estella
The boys were exhilarated for nearly the whole day after seeing the announcement in the morning.When night fell, Roxanne had just stepped into the house when Archie and Benny flung themselves at her in excitement. “Mommy!”She was slightly perplexed by their gleeful demeanor. “What’s going on? Did something nice happen in the kindergarten?”As soon as she ended her sentence, she glanced at Estella and was puzzled. If something did happen in the kindergarten, why isn’t Essie acting the same way as them?Upon detecting his mother’s confusion, Archie said, “Didn’t you see the news on the internet?”That confounded Roxanne even further. What news on the internet?Excitedly, Benny added, “Mr. Farwell claimed that we’re his children, just like Essie!”Did I hear that right? Lucian said Archie and Benny are his children? How’s that possible? Roxanne was stunned.He could tell his mother was befuddled, so he grabbed the laptop, clicked on a public forum, and showed it to her.Farwell Group’s
Jonathan’s jaw dropped open in disbelief. If they aren’t his, why does he look so calm in comparison to me, who is freaking out?“What are you thinking?” He shot Lucian an incredulous look. “If you want to help Roxanne by stopping the haters online, then you can just publicize your relationship with her and issue warning letters through your lawyer. Why would you do this?”If it was revealed that the CEO of Farwell Group had claimed to be the biological father of his ex-wife’s children even though they were not his, no one would believe it. It sounded pretty ridiculous, but that was exactly what Lucian did.“If I only did that, the netizens will still a*sume the worst about the boys’ father.” Displeasure flashed across Lucian’s eyes as he explained, “The kids are innocent. If she’s willing to marry me, it will only be a matter of time before the boys become mine, too.”Lucian knew very well that the last thing Roxanne wanted was to drag the kids into her mess, so he was more than wil
Soon, some recalled Roxanne’s previous scandal after reading the statement. One comment read: So what happened between Mr. Farwell and Aubree Pearson?Another read: Isn’t that obvious? Aubree is the homewrecker. She was the one who faked the rumors so Roxanne would give up on Mr. Farwell!One netizen replied: But what about Roxanne and Jack? They had been involved in two scandals. Besides, they seem to be on good terms.Another comment read: Isn’t that obvious? They are both capable doctors. Besides, the recent medical consultations were all initiated by the Damaris family. It’s normal for them to be on good terms!Many online users expressed their disapproval of Aubree, while the rest offered their support and blessing to Roxanne and Lucian.Now that Roxanne and Jack’s relationship was clarified, everyone thought Roxanne and Lucian were the perfect couple.One comment read: I heard that Roxanne had participated in various medical consultations recently. A while ago, someone ran into
The medicinal herb company owned by the Damaris family was mainly run by their own people, leaving outsiders nothing but envy. Lucian went silent after hearing that.However, that piqued Jonathan’s interest. “Why? Is Roxanne working with the Damaris family again? Do you need my help with anything?”Lucian managed to detect the hint of derision in his voice and snickered. “Go on and acquire the Damaris family’s medicinal herbs company if you’d really like to help.”Jonathan rubbed his nose sheepishly and said, “Well, anything but that.”“Then there’s nothing you can do. Bye.”Lucian hung up the call right after that.Jonathan’s face was full of reproach as he watched his phone screen go dark.That was the second time Lucian had woken him up in the middle of the night and hung up after dropping a bomb on him.It had taken him considerable effort to finally drift off to sleep.Great. It looks like I won’t be able to sleep at all tonight, either!Jonathan lay back down in bed, scrolling
It was already past nine at night when Roxanne reached home. As she got out of the car, she felt anxious and guilty for leaving the children alone at home.Hence, she hurried into the mansion, but as soon as she entered, she was greeted with the lively sounds of the children playing with each other and running around.Roxanne stopped in her tracks and looked inside the living room, surprised.Initially, she thought Madilyn had come over, but Lucian was sitting on the couch instead.As if sensing her presence, the man turned around to look.When their gazes met, Roxanne’s shock intensified. “What are you doing here?”Didn’t we agree on meeting some other day?Upon noticing her return, the children stopped playing and gathered around her, yearning for affection.“Mommy, you came home so late! Daddy’s been waiting for a long time!”Roxanne ruffled the children’s hair, but her gaze was still locked on Lucian.Lucian sat on the couch, crossing his legs. The button on his collar was undone
Lucian had mentioned visiting Roxanne in the past few days, but she rejected him by saying she had work to do. When he heard Estella mention that Roxanne was rarely home, he finally realized how hard she had been working recently.“Are you free tomorrow at noon? Let’s have lunch together,” Lucian suggested.He was determined to let Roxanne get some rest.Roxanne fell silent for a few moments when she heard the time he mentioned before replying apologetically, “Sorry, I’m not free.”Lucian frowned. “Why? Is there work that you have to complete?”Roxanne scratched her nose sheepishly. “I’ve promised to meet up with Mr. Damaris for lunch tomorrow to discuss a project.”Jack Damaris?Lucian’s expression instantly darkened.We’ve hardly been in contact these few days, and yet she’s been contacting him?What the elderlies from the nursing home said echoed in Lucian’s mind once again.After all, he and Roxanne did not work in the same industry. Plus, the woman was a workaholic, causing thei
I can’t believe the Queen family is the culprit! I… I a*sume that with our friendship of years, even if they refuse to help us, at the very least, they won’t hit us when we’re down. Yet, they are the reason we ended up in such a state! If that’s the case, why did Frieda come to our house yesterday? Did she come to shed crocodile tears? Gina glared at her daughter resentfully. “You knew about it, didn’t you?”Aubree’s involvement in the company’s affairs meant that she must have known who the culprit was, yet she still permitted Frieda to visit her, much to Gina’s bafflement.If I knew the Queen family was behind this, I wouldn’t have allowed Frieda to enter our house!Aubree’s eyes had also turned red. “So what if I did know? It was the Farwells’ order! Lucian drove us into a corner all because of that b*tch!”I refuse to give up just yet! Even if I end up in hell, I’ll drag that b*tch down with me!Her words made Gina feel as though the world was crumbling around her.She could not
At noon the next day, Jonathan brought Frieda shopping. They bought a bunch of gifts before driving to the restaurant where they were supposed to meet Roxanne. The restaurant was near the research institute. Due to the closeness of both locations, Roxanne thought she could head back to do some more work if their meeting ended early.Something in the research institute held her up, so Jonathan and Frieda were already waiting in the private room by the time she arrived.“I’m sorry, Dr. Jarvis. Did I interrupt your work?”Despite addressing Roxanne by her name in front of Lucian, Jonathan was mindful of his behavior and addressed her politely when she was present.Roxanne offered him a polite smile. Her gaze then landed on Frieda, and confusion crossed her eyes.If I’m not mistaken, Frieda never liked me. So why is she here today?Considering how busy she was handling various projects at the research institute, Roxanne did not want to be involved in any trouble.Jonathan rose to his fee