Harvey's breathing was obstructed. He opened his mouth, his chest rising and falling as he panted heavily. He looked dazed, and his body reacted.Elara's eyes widened in shock. She never could have imagined that, in a life-and-death situation, he would actually…It seemed that some men needed to be restrained to become honest.Harvey's dark eyes gleamed with excitement. He could feel himself about to lose control.He gasped for air in great heaves, no longer struggling.She took away his air but gave him ecstasy in return… He looked into her eyes, and his eyes were filled with yearning.The large hand that had been gripping the back of Elara's hand slowly slid down, landing on her waist.Elara realized that the stethoscope in her hands was no longer effective. She released one hand and reached for the emergency call button on the wall.A dozen seconds later, the hospital door opened with a loud bang. The on-duty nurse rushed in and immediately switched on the lights.The nur
Harvey avoided the cameras when he snuck into the ward, causing the security guards to not instantly notice his tracks.Only after Elara brushed her teeth did her mouth feel fresh. She asked a security guard, "Did you guys catch Harvey yet?"The security guard replied, "We've caught him. Prof. Fisher has instructed that if anyone bothers you, we should first lock him up. Once it's morning, we'll report this incident to Prof. Fisher."Elara nodded and thanked them. "Thank you for your hard work. All of you may head out."Once the security guards had left, Elara and Lesley remained together.Lesley put her hand behind Elara's head. She kept glancing at Elara. This time, she dared not close her eyes easily."Do you want to go to Melcina with me?" asked Lesley out of the blue.Elara asked in return, "You want to return to Melcina?"Lesley looked down. "If you plan to return to Melcina, then I'll go with you."Elara replied, "When I was 18, I had the chance to choose whether I shou
Elara Jones was carrying her daughter as she rushed to the hotel. At this moment, her son's fifth birthday party had already begun.Meanwhile, Harvey Fisher stood beside their son as the warm glow of the candles illuminated the child's tender face.Beau Fisher clasped his hands together and made a wish. "I wish Ms. Niamh could be my new mom."Elara was shivering from the cold as it was raining heavily outside. She had gotten herself soaked trying to keep her daughter and the birthday cake dry.Her clothes clung to her body like a thin layer of ice, wrapping her in cold discomfort.Niamh Jones burst into hearty laughter. "How many times do I have to tell you? Don't call me Ms. Niamh! Call me Niamh! Your dad and I are more like brothers, so I can only be your second dad or something."Her laughter echoed through the private room. The guests, who were all Niamh's close buddies, joined in the laughter. Only Niamh would dare to tease Harvey this way in front of so many people.Beau b
Niamh turned to Harvey and made a playful face. "Elara misunderstood us again. I'll go explain everything to her.""There's nothing to explain. She's just too sensitive."Harvey's expression remained indifferent as his gaze shifted to the half-eaten birthday cake Elara had left behind. His brows were knit.With Harvey's final word on the matter, the tension in the room eased. Elara storming out wasn't a big deal anyway.The others chimed in agreement. "Elara's just upset. Harvey can calm her down when he gets home.""Exactly. There's no way she'd actually divorce Harvey. Everyone knows Elara almost gave her life to have his kids.""Who knows, she might already regret walking out the door!""Come on, let's eat the cake! By the time Harvey gets home, Elara will probably be standing at the door like a loyal wife waiting for her husband!"Harvey's brows relaxed as he imagined Elara timidly standing by the door, cautiously trying to please him.Meanwhile, Beau savored the cake Niam
Harvey's suggestion to have Scotch eggs was, in truth, a ploy to get Mary to contact Elara. He thought he was already offering her a way back into the fold."Mrs. Fisher said she isn't coming back," said Mary.Harvey choked on his coffee, unable to suppress a coughing fit.Mary sensed something was amiss. "Did you and Mrs. Fisher have an argument, Mr. Fisher?""Mind your own business!" Harvey's sharp tone chilled the air in the dining room.Mary shrank back, not daring to say another word while Harvey tightened his grip on the mug in his hand.How could Elara possibly not come back? By now, she should already be preparing the homemade lunch she always sent to his office.Whenever Elara upset him in the past, she would personally deliver lunch to the office as a reconciliation gesture.…Bambi sat at the dining table, and her eyes lit up when she saw the breakfast. "Wow! Chicken noodle soup!"Bambi loved chicken noodle soup, but Beau would gag at the sight of it. At the Fisher
Harvey had already hung up on the other end of the line.Elara got back into her car, pressed the accelerator, and sped out of the parking space. She didn't notice the black sports car trailing her like a shadow.…The scenery on both sides of the road blurred into streaks as the car raced past. The silver Volvo streaked across the asphalt like lightning.Elara's dark eyes fixed firmly on the road ahead. It had been a long time since she had driven this fast. The rush of adrenaline surged in sync with the speedometer needle climbing to its peak.She overtook three flashy sports cars in quick succession, leaving their drivers shouting in surprise."Whoa! Who the hell was that?"Someone in another car instructed while speaking through a Bluetooth earpiece, "Get me the details on that license plate."The modified sports cars were left far behind one at a time. Elara didn't ease off the accelerator even on the winding curves of the mountain road.The group of young thrill-seekers
Meanwhile, Niamh stepped off her modified motorcycle while carrying a paper bag. The security guard stared wide-eyed at the woman in skintight yoga pants.Niamh casually tossed her loose hair over her shoulder. She then greeted the guard with a carefree smile, and entered the kindergarten.She already knew which class Beau was in, and she walked over with a grin upon spotting Bridget."Hi there, I brought more wax bottle candies for Beau. I heard the ones he brought were a big hit with the other kids."Bridget eyed Niamh critically. "So, you're the one who allowed Beau to bring those candies to school?"Niamh's face lit up with excitement. "Yes! These wax bottle candies were made by a friend of mine using premium beeswax…""So, it was you who nearly caused my son to choke to death!"The furious shout exploded behind Niamh. A resounding slap landed squarely across her face as she turned, leaving her seeing stars."Why the hell are you hitting me?" Niamh yelled."It's because yo
Elara's mind went blank. It was as if a tidal wave had crashed over her, tearing at her body and fueling a storm of anger and humiliation.Her expression remained calm as she reached out and picked up the necklace, while Niamh's eyes lit up with a mocking gleam.Harvey leaned against the sofa, and looked away. He was convinced that Elara was like a dog—neglected one moment but wagging her tail the next the moment he beckoned her.Elara hooked a finger under the necklace around Niamh's neck, pulling it forward. She then held the two necklaces side by side."Niamh, the mother-of-pearl on your necklace is of much better quality. How about we trade?"She didn't call out the fake necklace directly as Niamh would have no shortage of excuses to dodge responsibility. Elara wanted Niamh to silently swallow the loss.The delicate chain tightened against the back of Niamh's neck, and she froze awkwardly. Her earlier anticipation of Elara foolishly wearing the fake necklace out in public and
Harvey avoided the cameras when he snuck into the ward, causing the security guards to not instantly notice his tracks.Only after Elara brushed her teeth did her mouth feel fresh. She asked a security guard, "Did you guys catch Harvey yet?"The security guard replied, "We've caught him. Prof. Fisher has instructed that if anyone bothers you, we should first lock him up. Once it's morning, we'll report this incident to Prof. Fisher."Elara nodded and thanked them. "Thank you for your hard work. All of you may head out."Once the security guards had left, Elara and Lesley remained together.Lesley put her hand behind Elara's head. She kept glancing at Elara. This time, she dared not close her eyes easily."Do you want to go to Melcina with me?" asked Lesley out of the blue.Elara asked in return, "You want to return to Melcina?"Lesley looked down. "If you plan to return to Melcina, then I'll go with you."Elara replied, "When I was 18, I had the chance to choose whether I shou
Harvey's breathing was obstructed. He opened his mouth, his chest rising and falling as he panted heavily. He looked dazed, and his body reacted.Elara's eyes widened in shock. She never could have imagined that, in a life-and-death situation, he would actually…It seemed that some men needed to be restrained to become honest.Harvey's dark eyes gleamed with excitement. He could feel himself about to lose control.He gasped for air in great heaves, no longer struggling.She took away his air but gave him ecstasy in return… He looked into her eyes, and his eyes were filled with yearning.The large hand that had been gripping the back of Elara's hand slowly slid down, landing on her waist.Elara realized that the stethoscope in her hands was no longer effective. She released one hand and reached for the emergency call button on the wall.A dozen seconds later, the hospital door opened with a loud bang. The on-duty nurse rushed in and immediately switched on the lights.The nur
Harvey's eyes went out of focus when he was being strangled. There was a height difference between him and Elara, so in order to gain the upper hand, Elara subconsciously stood on her tiptoes.Her breath landed on his face, rapid and uneven from the nervousness and exertion.As he caught Elara's scent, his body felt like a dry field receiving rain. Every pore on Harvey's body opened, wanting to absorb her presence.His neck was trapped, so he instinctively retreated backward. Elara kicked him hard in the thigh. Each jolt of pain she inflicted on him sped up his heart rate wildly. He felt so good. Did he really like being kicked and beaten by Elara this much? The more pain she inflicted, the more excited he felt.His large hands enveloped Elara's fingers, which were still wrapped around the stethoscope. Although he was being strangled, he was still stronger than Elara.He lifted Elara off the ground, spun around, and slammed her against the wall.Her back collided with the wal
"What?" Elara asked Theodore."Didn't you hear my heart shouting its love for you when you used the stethoscope to listen to my heart?"A nurse entered the room to deliver Elara's blood test report and was surprised to see yet another incredibly handsome man in the room.Gathering her courage, the nurse spoke up. "Visiting hours are over. Please come back tomorrow."Theodore braced one hand against the bedsheet and used the other to pull out the hair tie securing Elara's hair. Her long, black hair spilled down like a waterfall.He spread his fingers, causing the hair tie to slip through them and roll onto his pale wrist."Rest well," Theodore said before leaving.Elara held the blood test report in her hand, but for the first time, she couldn't focus on the words on the page.She vaguely heard the nurse say that she needed to stay for further observation. Once the nurse left, Elara burrowed under the blanket. She pulled out the stethoscope from under the blanket before recallin
"Mr. Fisher! Don't! Please don't call!"Elara urgently cut Leonard off mid-sentence. It was an uncharacteristic outburst from someone who usually treated him with utmost respect.Leonard froze, his hand hovering over his phone as his cool gaze settled on her.Elara's panic stemmed from one terrifying possibility: Leonard's call would make Theodore's phone ring beneath the bed.Her loud interruption was actually buying Theodore time to silence his device. But to Finnegan's ears, her vehement protest sounded like she wanted nothing to do with Theodore anymore."Theodore's fake relationship with Elara is over," Finnegan said smugly. "If you need him, Prof. Fisher, contact him after leaving the hospital."Leonard gave Finnegan a look usually reserved for idiots. He thought, "If only you knew how thoroughly Theodore is winning right now."Choosing to remove himself from this farce, Leonard prepared to leave with Xavier."Come to Oakread estate after your discharge," he instructed El
Elara gently touched the twin braids on either side of Merida's head. "Did Uncle Finn do your hair?""Mhm!" Merida nodded vigorously. "Uncle Finn said he used to braid your hair too!"A soft smile graced Elara's lips as she looked at Finnegan with deep gratitude.Merida asked with concern, "Mommy, have you eaten lunch? Are you hungry?"She held up the thermal container. "Uncle Finn made you a special chicken soup. It's made with love!""Tch!" A scoff came from under the bed as Theodore ground his molars in disdain. But with Merida talking, no one clearly heard it.Finnegan's sharp ears caught the sound. His gaze instinctively swept behind him, landing on Leonard's impassive face.Though Elara hadn't eaten since waking, the medication left her with little appetite. Yet seeing Merida's eager expression, she warmly said, "I'm starving!""Wait a minute, Mommy!"Merida practically glowed at being needed. She unscrewed the thermos, portioning the steaming soup into a bowl with caref
Leonard's eyelid twitched. His lower vantage point from the wheelchair gave him a clear view of Theodore hiding under the bed the moment he moved away.Their eyes met. The man sprawled beneath the mattress even had the audacity to wave at him.Leonard's expression remained impassive—the kind of unshakable calm he'd maintain even if discovering a naked man under the bed.He watched wordlessly as Theodore pulled out his phone. Moments later, Leonard's device buzzed with incoming messages."Don't misinterpret this, Leo. I was already in Elara's bed before you arrived. Just sparing you the shock."Can't help being faster than you."You mad?"This is our foreplay! Wouldn't expect the elderly to understand Hehe."Leonard closed his eyes, instinctively holding his breath as if he had been assaulted by overwhelming pretentiousness."Mm?" Xavier tilted his head at Leonard's sudden stillness.First, he'd been reluctant to leave; now Leonard was the one refusing to go?"Mr. Fisher, are
Theodore was acting as if he and Elara had been doing something illicit in this hospital room! Calling Theodore out from under the bed now would make the situation even more awkward in front of Leonard!Elara still cared about maintaining some dignity around Leonard—she needed to preserve her respectable image! Thanks to Theodore's antics, she hastily stuffed the abandoned stethoscope under the blankets.Now she genuinely looked like someone hiding an affair.The motorized wheelchair carried Leonard toward her while Fisher bodyguards remained stationed outside. Xavier followed behind, clutching a bouquet of pale pink tulips. His entire face lit up seeing Elara awake.He scampered to the bedside, his pale features blooming with a honey-sweet smile."Xav!"Elara pulled him into a half-hug, making the boy blush furiously. He bowed his head and raised the tulips with both hands."Are these for me?"At Xavier's vigorous nod, she accepted the flowers. "Thank you, Xavier. I love them.
"Elara, is someone with you? Who's there?"Harvey's rapid-fire questions instantly smothered the emotions clogging Elara's chest."Since when do you have jurisdiction over my life?" she countered.Harvey's voice sharpened. "Beau's right here, yet you're with another man? Have you no consideration for his feelings?"Elara rolled her eyes with practiced elegance. "When you draped yourself over your 'bro,' wasn't Beau present too?"Beau piped up, "Does Mommy mean it's her guy-best friend?""There's no such thing as guy-bestfriends!" Harvey exploded, fury erupting like a geyser.A thousand powder kegs detonated in his chest.His mind raced through possibilities—Finnegan's darker complexion ruled him out. That hand caressing Elara's face could only belong to Theodore or Lesley!The angle suggested that the man sat right on her hospital bed. How dare she let another man perch there!When Harvey checked again, the call had ended. His face darkened like smoke billowing from a wildfir