"But Dadpletely disagrees with my surgery. Now that he has a son, I''m disposable. He doesn''t even care if I live or die! He wants to ship us off to another country so his new little family can live happily ever after."


    Ynda was indignant and resentful. "Mom, you''re his first wife! You struggled alongside him for years, built this empire, and for what? To let some other woman and her bastard child enjoy it all?"


    "Don''t worry. As long as I''m here, I won''t let anyone jeopardize your interests. I''m arranging your surgery behind your father''s back, but if anything goes wrong, he''ll have to clean up the mess for us. That''s the benefit of being in the same boat."


    With that, Mrs. Walker told Ynda to get some rest. Then she called a maid in to clean up the room.


    Mrs. Walker waited until Ynda had changed and was lying in bed before she left. She returned to her own room, and Vincent followed her in shortly after.


    "I heard a noise from Ynda''s room just now. What happened?" Vincent asked.


    "That child, Ynda. She''s so clumsy, knocked a figurine off the cab. She''s a grown woman, but still acts like a child. *Sigh*."


    Mrs. Walker shook her head and sighed, then asked, "How is April''s child?"


    "He''s been discharged from the hospital," Vincent said.


    "Little children have weak immune systems; they do get sick easily. He''ll be fine once he''s older, I''m sure he''ll grow up strong and healthy. You and April shouldn''t worry so much," Mrs. Walker said with a smile.


    "Mm," Vincent grunted in acknowledgement.


    Hearing his wife discuss his mistress and illegitimate son, Vincent felt a flicker of shame. He quickly changed the subject back to Ynda.


    "Ynda hasn''t been looking welltely, and her emotions are often out of control. You need to convince her to cooperate with her treatment and stop letting her imagination run wild. The investigators from the higher-ups haven''t left yet. Any move we make right now would be suicidal."


    Vincent warned, his tone and expression exceptionally grave.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll take good care of Ynda," Mrs. Walker replied with a smile, sidestepping the real issue.


    She opened the closet, took out a change of clothes, and went into the bathroom.


    As the New Year arrived, a light snow began to fall over Istra.


    Bet''s car was driving down the road. Yvonne rolled down her


    window


    reached out, letting the


    snowkes kiss her palm with their


    fleeting, icy touch.


    "The wind is too strong. You''ll catch a cold," Bet said, ncing at her as he kept


    his hands on the wheel.


    Yvonne pulled her hand back in and rolled up the window.


    It was certainly cold on a snowy day. Yvonne''s hands were red from the chill, and


    she brought them to her lips, blowing warm air onto them.


    "Your hands are freezing. You''re like


    a restless child," Bet said H


    a res nd off the steering t


    took


    wheel


    and wrapped it around hercy palm.


    Bet''s hand wasrge and warm, his palm slightly calloused. Yvonne instinctively squeezed his hand and held on.


    "I''m driving. Don''t distract me," Bet said.


    "Can''t you be reasonable, Mr.


    Bet Thompson? You''re the one


    who reached out and started this,"


    Yvonne huffed, turning her


    turning her head to


    look at him.


    "Alright, my mistake," Bet said with a faint smile, pulling his hand back to grip the steering wheel.


    The roads were slippery in the snow, so for safety''s sake, Bet didn''t dare let his focus waver.


    Finally, the car pulled into his grandfather''s driveway.