Bet had dinner with Yvonne at the restaurant, and afterward, they went for a walk on the beach.


    The sand on the ind''s beach was fine and soft. Yvonne slipped off her shoes, her bare feet sinking into the sand as she and Bet started building a sandcastle.


    It was a game she''d loved since childhood, and Yvonne never tired of it.


    Bet rolled up the cuffs of his shirt, revealing a pair of strong forearms, and yfully joined Yvonne in her fun.


    Working together, they managed to build a rather impressive sandcastle.


    While digging in the sand, Yvonne discovered the beach was dotted with colorful seashells. Captivated, she grabbed a small pail and began collecting them along the shoreline.


    Yvonne was leaning down to retrieve a shell when the tide surged, sending a warm, rhythmic foam swirling around her ankles.


    She rinsed a beautifully colored shell in the seawater, ced it in her pail, and was just about to stand up when she saw Thomas Taylor and Jessa Lane walking toward them from a distance.


    Thomas wore his usual mask of cool indifference, while Jessa Lane trailed behind him, chattering like a little bird.


    Due to the distance and the loud crashing of the waves, Yvonne couldn''t hear what Jessa was saying, but she could see her mouth moving nonstop.


    At that moment, Thomas and Jessa also spotted Yvonne and Bet. Making no effort to avoid them, Thomas continued walking over at the same pace.


    Yvonne slowly rose to her feet when she saw Thomas.


    "Thomas," Yvonne said with a smile, addressing him as naturally as Bet did.


    "Mm," Thomas nodded, his eyes ncing from her to the small pail in her hand. It was already filled with seashells, a clear sign she had been crouching on the beach for quite some time.


    "Aren''t you pregnant? Should you really be straining yourself like that?" Thomas asked.


    "Oh, it''s fine," Yvonne replied casually.


    She was pregnant, not disabled. Squatting to pick up shells was perfectly fine.


    "Are you and Ms. Lane also out for a walk on the beach?" Yvonne asked.


    Thomas tightened his jaw, offering no reply. Instead, Jessa Lane smiled and nodded. "Yes, the scenery on the ind is lovely, so we''re just looking around."


    As Jessa spoke, her gaze unconsciously drifted to Yvonne.


    1? 11?


    Yvonne was four months pregnant, her belly only slightly showing. She was wearing a bohemian-style maxi dress, her long ck hair cascading freely over her shoulders Standing barefoot on the beach, her first impression was one of ethereal beauty.


    Jessa thought to herself that with looks like these, it was no wonder Yvonne had managed tond the heir to the Thompson family.


    Bet, who had been continuing their work on the sandcastle, dropped his tools and walked over when he saw Thomas and Jessa.


    His hands were still covered in sand, which he casually dusted off as he approached the group.


    "Cousin. Ms. Lane," Bet said in a calm voice.


    Thomas nodded, his gaze shifting to the sandcastle behind them. "Sandcastles


    again. All these years, and some things never change."


    Ever since they were children,


    Bet had followed Yvonne


    around building sandcastles for her.


    Who would have thought the


    formidable Bet Thompson would spend his time ying in the


    sand like a schoolboy?


    Bet let out a faint, amusedugh. "Perhaps it''s because I''ve never changed."


    After saying this, Bet wrapped an arm around Yvonne''s shoulders, pulling her gently into his embrace.


    Held by him, Yvonne instinctively turned her head to look at him and smiled, her expression bright and radiant.


    Opposite them, Thomas felt a sudden, inexplicable jolt at the radiance in Yvonne''s smile. It was too much too bright and he instinctively looked away to shield himself from the heat of it.